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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26689861">Golden Week in Inaba</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ph03nixs_FicStop/pseuds/Ph03nixs_FicStop'>Ph03nixs_FicStop</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Make this Place Your Home [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 4, Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Found Family, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Persona 4 Arena</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:34:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>32,837</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26689861</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ph03nixs_FicStop/pseuds/Ph03nixs_FicStop</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For the upcoming Golden Week, Yu decides that they'll be going down to Inaba for the holiday. It was mostly intended to for him to introduce Goro to all his friends and family down there, but of course, nothing ever goes the way they planned for it. First the Midnight Channel returns, then Yu's friends go missing?! To make matters worst, he somehow has to try and keep this under wraps from his young ward, who's smart enough to tell something's up. At least his Golden Week will be interesting to say the least...<br/>-<br/>Part 4 of a series of oneshots &amp; chaptered fics for an AU where Yu Narukami meets an runaway, orphaned Akechi Goro one night as he's back in Tokyo from Inaba, and decides to take him in.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro &amp; Dojima Nanako, Akechi Goro &amp; Investigation Team, Akechi Goro &amp; Narukami Yu, Labrys (Persona Series) &amp; Akechi Goro, Narukami Yu &amp; Hanamura Yosuke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Make this Place Your Home [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877584</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>78</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Part of the Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
 <i><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877584">-&gt;Please read the series chronologically for more context about this AU&lt;-</a> and enjoy!</i>
</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p><b>Beta'ed by Eposman</b><br/>
</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>[Now arriving at Yasoinaba.....Yasoinaba....]</em>
</p><p>Where was he? What's with all the noise?</p><p>“...o..ro...”</p><p>Who's calling for him right now? Was he in class? Did he actually fall asleep in class?!</p><p>“..Goro...”</p><p>No, the voice calling for him doesn't sound like any of his teachers. Was he home then, with Narukami? He couldn't focus his eyesight to look at his surroundings, as they were still mostly shut, but he could feel someone shaking him lightly. It was probably Yu then. But wasn't it Sunday? It had been a half day yesterday, so they shouldn't school today. He even made sure all his homework was done the other night before calling Saito to ask about his Golden Week plans. Golden Week..? How much longer would they have until the break?</p><p>“..no school today. Let me sleep in.. <em>please</em>...” Goro manages to mumble out as he curls back up into the train seat.</p><p>Another gentle shake of his body is enough to make him open his eyes to reveal the change of scenery. This wasn't their room! Goro was about a few seconds away from panicking before Yu calls for his attention.</p><p>“Morning sleepyhead.” he teases as he runs a hand through his chestnut locks, trying to style his bed hair into something more manageable. The boy spots a black but sleek ribbon visible in Yu's other hand, likely to tie his messy hair back. It's just like him to know how Goro likes to wear it casually. He hears Yu asking him something else, and he tries to focus in on it to learn more of their situation after his messy recollection of their location thanks to his long rest.</p><p>“Are you ready to meet my friends and family here in Inaba?”</p><p>“Inaba?” He asks quietly as the boy moves to finally uncurl himself from his current position, stretching in the seat before rubbing away the sleepiness from his eyes. He can hear Yu talking a bit more as he's trying to become more aware of the world around him, taking a look outside from the window he had been resting against as he slept. They certainly weren't in Tokyo...then just how long had he been asleep?!</p><p>“I know going to a small town out in the countryside isn't exactly the most exciting thing to do for Golden Week, but I wanted you to see the place I really call home.”</p><p>Wait, did he say Golden Week?</p><p>“I-It's Golden Week already?” Goro asks with surprise visible in his expression. This elicits quiet laughter from his guardian as the older boy sits next to him on the edge of the train seat, and takes a moment to calm down.</p><p>“You must have had quite the dream if you forgot it's Golden Week. I remember how excited you were last night when I said we're heading out for the train station...” Yu hums as Goro's cheeks burn, knowing that his guardian is just teasing him again.</p><p>“Now I remember! You woke me up at the dead of night to get on the train!” He huffs, crossing his arms childishly, Yu chuckling quietly.</p><p>“We had to leave before my parents noticed us. They don't exactly approve of me going back to Inaba, much less the fact I'm fostering a child under their roof unknowingly...” he starts before returning back to his chuckling. “Then again, when did they even care to pay attention to me unless it suits their needs?”</p><p>Goro likes this about Narukami Yu, his clear rebellion by just being caring towards others. Yu was clearly done with pleasing like authority figures and his own parents, instead focusing his attention on the people he wants to be with. He admires his guardian for risking his own place in his family to make sure Goro has one of his own with him. “Such a rebellious son they raised..” he adds quietly as a playful jab, all before the two look to each other and laugh in their seats, his prior drowsiness dissipating in the warm laughter that fills the mostly empty train car.</p><p>-</p><p>Yu had dreamt of the Velvet Room...</p><p>Yu Narukami had <b>a dream</b> of the Velvet Room despite the fact the fog incident was dealt with and Inaba murder case was closed.</p><p>He can remember it clearly, it happened after the train transfer from the Yasogami Terminal. Yu had put Goro in a piggy-back carry on his back, so the younger could sleep peacefully as he handled the transfer as the oldest and the one responsible for their safety for the trip. Once they were in the mostly empty train car, he set the boy down in the window seat so no one would be able to mess with his ward and made the choice to rest for just a few hours to regain some energy after the busy night of traveling.</p><p>Though the memory of what happened inside the limousine designed Velvet Room was still foggy, he didn't want to wake Goro with his own panicking. Yu kept everything inside for now, needing to focus and think it over before he acted accordingly.</p><p>“<em>We're just on our way to Inaba... Back home..</em>” he thought to himself as he gazed at Goro, sleeping at his side, then looked out the window the boy was resting against.</p><p>His dream of the Velvet Room, while having the dream at all bothered him, he had the chance to reflect on it now. As he became more lucid to the waking world, he noticed a few things that were different about that introduction versus the one he had back when he first came to Inaba. Igor had mentioned <em>ruin</em> and <em>misfortune</em> in his future back then, but this time he had just greeted him and instead mentioned a <em>most interesting fate</em> if he remembers it properly. Back then, it was just a warning of what was to come and how he'd come into play, how he'd eventually forge his contract with them to ensure humanity didn't fall to <b>ruin</b>.</p><p>In order to become his true self, one worthy of his ultimate persona, the trials, the pain and suffering had been necessary all in order to reach out for the truth, but he had never been alone through it all. He overcame all the ordeals of the murder case, the kidnappings, the fog, all of it, thanks to the bonds he developed and grew here. The memories he made in Inaba became the very foundation of the self he was building today, one that was far more rebellious than what his parents had raised him as.</p><p>Yu wonders if this was just a dream of his past, or perhaps a warning that another ordeal is coming. Even if there was another coming in the near future, he knew he wouldn't face it alone now that he was here, this place where his bonds of inner strength and the truth were born.</p><p>Daydreaming about the possibilities of what may be in store this Golden Week as he looked out the window, that's when it hit him. “<em>Damn it, I forgot Yosuke's gift!</em>” he grumbled to himself, grabbing the backpack resting under his seat and pulling it out. After rustling through his bag of souvenirs, the missing magazine confirmed he had indeed forgotten the gift for Yosuke that Teddie requested him to get.</p><p>He sighed and rested his head against the train seat, frustrated he forgot something. Even if it was something as silly as <em>Yosuke's goods</em>, Yu did want to cheer him up. Then again, he doubted his partner would appreciate it if his best friend just brought him something like that as an <em>extra</em> gift, much less if Yosuke found out it was Teddie's idea that he get it.</p><p>Yu wanted to be upset at it a little longer, anything to get his mind away from the dream from earlier, but the sounds of mumbling and soft snores from the young preteen sleeping against the window drew him out of that. Yeah, he had better things to overthink and worry about than a possible prophetic dream or forgetting an unasked for gift for his best friend. Right now he wanted to ensure Goro would have a good time and would get along with everyone.</p><p>
  <em>[Now arriving at Yasoinaba.....Yasoinaba....]</em>
</p><p>Oh, it looks like they were there already. Yu must have woken up right on time then! He slips out of his edge seat to start pulling down their luggage, getting it set at the ready against the empty seats near them. Giving the preteen a gentle shake at his side while calling his name is enough to drag Goro out of his sleepy daze.</p><p>“Morning sleepyhead.” he greets warmly as he runs a hand through Goro's chestnut hair, noticing how messy it had gotten during their ride there. “<em>It was probably from all the tossing and turning in his sleep...</em>” Yu wonders to himself, making him feel justified about keeping his usual bowl cut hairstyle. It was, in his opinion, much easier to maintain than his ward's mane of hair every morning.</p><p>“<em>I should probably help him out with it.</em>” He thinks to himself as he pulls out a sleek black ribbon from Goro's bag on the ground, and starts to get to work on his hair. As he works on making a comfortable yet casual ponytail with Goro's hair, he is silently grateful for his time with Nanako. He'd probably struggle with this a lot more without the experiences he had with her and tying her pigtails some days back when he had lived with the Dojimas.</p><p>Since they had started living together, Yu had noticed that first impressions seemed extremely important to Goro, so Yu opted to help his ward with his hair while chatting him out of his sleepy stupor.</p><p>“Are you ready to meet my friends and family here in Inaba?”</p><p>-</p><p>Once the train comes to a complete stop, Yu took his cue to start leading Goro out of the car and out into the station. The silver-haired teen can feel the wave of nostalgia hitting him as the smell of the fresh Inaba air breezes past them, his ward at his side looking at him with feigned annoyance and a quick roll of his ruby red eyes. Maybe Goro has a point, he is overly sentimental, but that's hardly on him! Yu just wanted to cherish the memorable things in life that were important to him.</p><p>“You ready?” he asks the younger boy.</p><p>“Absolutely.”</p><p>With that kind of confident response, Yu takes it as confirmation and steps off onto the station platform, then helping Goro off, before the two walk over to the front of the train station. As they wait out front, Yu goes over the texts on his phone, sighing as he remembers his uncle wouldn't be there to pick him up this time around. As he puts away his flip phone and looks to Goro, he notices how the boy was gazing over the quiet morning scenery of Inaba.</p><p>“It has its own kind of charm, doesn't it?” the older of the two asks, only receiving a quiet nod back as a response. That brings a small smile to Yu's face as they overlook the town from the station for a moment before a familiar silhouette runs up to the duo.</p><p>“Nanako..?”</p><p>“Big bro!” cries out a little girl with short pigtails, held back by pink ribbons. Nanako proceeds to bury herself into a hug with Yu, who meets her halfway and leaves his luggage behind to lift her up into the air to spin her quickly before pulling her into the hug. The moment is heartwarming for the two involved, having missed each other dearly even if it's only May and he left only two months prior. It takes a moment for Yu to remember in his euphoria of seeing his little sister that Goro is just behind them, and they need to get back to the Dojima residence to rest before touring his ward around the town he called home. He sets Nanako down and walks her over to where Goro was waiting behind them and where he left his stuff, chuckling all the while.</p><p>“You came to meet me here all on your own?” he asks, a little surprised his uncle let her walk here on her own, especially after everything that happened. Then again, Inaba stayed quiet after the case was solved from what he heard from his friends, so he could see his uncle letting up on his over protectiveness of Nanako if that's true.</p><p>“Don't worry, dad knows all about it! He gave me money for the bus! He said he couldn't make it, so I came instead.” she explains before giving his hand a tight squeeze of affection. “Welcome back big bro! I wanted to see you so much!” Nanako restates right before they come face to face with Goro, her expression dimming a bit in confusion while the boy looks a bit anxious to meet her as well.</p><p>“Thanks for coming out to meet me. I'm happy to see you again too.” Yu returns as he slips his hand out of Nanako's hold to grab his luggage, then watches the two kids staring at each other with uncertainty. He realizes he needs to explain himself.</p><p>Clearing his throat to get the attention of both children, he begins. “Nanako. This isn't <em>exactly</em> the present from Tokyo that I mentioned on the phone, but I'd like you to meet someone. Go on, introduce yourself Goro.” he starts as the boy takes his cue from Yu to greet her.</p><p>“Ah! Um...Hello Nanako-chan. I-I'm in your care!” The preteen greets before giving a quick bow to Nanako, trying to be polite rather than confident as he had been caught off-guard with the sudden introduction and was flustered.</p><p>Judging by Nanako's puzzled expression, she'd need a bit more context to why Goro had come with him to Inaba for the vacation, so Yu continues. “Goro has been under my care since April, but we only just finished the foster paperwork a week or two ago. I hope you'll treat him as nicely as you treated me when I first arrived.”</p><p>He could practically see the gears turning in Nanako's head before her expression brightened up significantly and she moved up to him expectantly, gasping at the idea that came in mind after Yu's explanation. “You mean I can have <em><b>two</b></em> big bros now?!” she asks with visible excitement, unaware how her statement had flustered Goro further in the background.</p><p>“You can, as long as you're sure Goro's okay with it too, alright Nanako?” Yu answers back, holding back a grin as he hears Goro coughing in surprise behind them.</p><p>Nanako takes that as a yes before she walks over to Goro and smiles warmly at him. “Let's get along lots, okay Goro-nii?” she asks sweetly and holds out a hand to him, the boy's cheeks still a bright red as he moves to accept the hand and shake it.</p><p>“Y-Yeah Nanako-chan...” he answers awkwardly, looking to Yu for help as the teen chuckles at his slight distress of the situation. He'll help him out.</p><p>“Nanako, we should get going, shouldn't we? Do we have anything in the fridge at home? We could surprise uncle with homemade dinner instead of takeout.” The teen offers as Nanako gasps happily, letting go of Goro's hand to gesture back to her brother.</p><p>“We bought lots! Dad and I bought a ton of stuff since you were coming to visit.” She explains before giggling. “Big bro, can I help you cook?”</p><p>There's a twinkle in Goro's eyes when he hears Nanako's innocent request. The boy had always been a bit of a competitive person, especially since he's <b>insistent</b> on <em>proving his worth</em>, despite how many times Yu's assured him that he cares for Goro as he is and doesn't <em>need</em> to prove himself. From the look in his eyes, Yu could tell his ward refused to be outdone, even if it was by his little cousin. “I'd like to assist as well Yu. After all, my arrival is supposed to be a surprise isn't it? Why not celebrate it?” he asks, an ambitious grin on his face as Nanako naively smiles along with.</p><p>“Let's do it big bro~!”</p><p>With two pairs of eyes looking up at him expectantly, Yu is weak and gives in with a sigh, walking with the two children at his side, each holding onto the arm on their side, idly chattering about as they make their way to the Dojima residence. Seeing that his uncle's car wasn't in the driveway, he knew they'd be in the clear to work on the surprise dinner tonight. Nanako lets go of him to unlock the door and welcome them inside, all before leading them upstairs to a room Yu was very familiar to.</p><p>“Just set your stuff down for now Goro. We'll have time to unpack before we eat. If I know my uncle, he's probably been assigned a new case or bigger workload than usual today.” Yu states as he sets his own suitcase to the side of the couch, his ward following his instructions and setting his luggage against a corner in the room. He'd be sleeping in it until he stops by Junes to see about a pull out bed or a spare futon to put in the room. It was just enough to be back at the Dojima household to feel like he's at home again, closing his eyes to embrace the room he truly called his own before he felt a gentle tug at his jacket.</p><p>“Yu, we should head downstairs now, right?” Goro asks quietly, only receiving a slight chuckle and a quick but affectionate ruffle to his hair.</p><p>“You're right Goro. Come on, let's not leave Nanako waiting. After all, I've been wanting to give you some more cooking lessons, especially after the pancakes incident last week.” He teases, waiting for Goro's inevitable reaction.</p><p>He's rewarded with a sigh and slight glare for bringing it up. “<em>Pancakes</em>... I don't want to hear <b>that</b> word for at least another month. You really won't let that go, will you?” the preteen asks, ignoring Yu's quiet snort.</p><p>“Nope. Don't worry, I know everyone's kitchen horror stories, like Mystery Food X or the Valentine's Day fiasco..” Yu starts, trailing off as he thinks back to those days. He remembers how much his stomach hated him for putting himself through such horrors, but today's not that day. He'd be sure to tutor Goro and Nanako in proper cooking etiquette so they don't poison anyone else ever again.</p><p>“Come along now. Let's get started!” Yu calls out to his ward, the younger following him as they go back downstairs and greet the waiting Nanako.</p><p>-</p><p>With all the time they had while Dojima was away, the trio managed to whip up quite the spread. Goro had been setting the food down on the dining table so everyone could pick and grab what they wanted, as Nanako and Yu were making the final decorations on the cheesecake. Then the doorbell rang, and Goro watched as the little girl stepped away from the decorations to open the door.</p><p>“Dad's home!” she shouted with glee.</p><p>He could feel the butterflies in his stomach again, and set the food down quickly before hastily making his way over to Yu, moving to hide like the child he really was, and went behind his legs. Goro was nervous, much more so than he had been when introducing himself to Nanako. After all, she was just a child, but this was different. Ryotaro Dojima wasn't just Yu's uncle, no, he just also happened to be a detective for the Inaba police.</p><p>“Welcome home uncle.” Yu greets warmly from their spot in the kitchen, a hand moving back for Goro to latch onto. He hated that Narukami knew him so well at this point, but he quickly grabs at the hand and squeezes it close to him to attempt and alleviate some of his nerves.</p><p>Then, the uncle enters his line of sight.</p><p>“Yu, welcome back. How was the ride here? Hope Nanako didn't keep you waiting for too long at the station, did she?” The man jokes lightly, chuckling before the little girl huffs and slaps lightly at her father's side. “Ow! I was just teasing you Nanako. I know you'd never want to make your brother wait.” he explains as Nanako walks over to the table.</p><p>“Dad! We cooked dinner! We've been waiting to surprise you this <em>whole</em> time.” she exclaims as she gestures to the kitchen. “Big bro did all the hard stuff, while he let Goro-nii and I help!”</p><p>And she blew it! Nanako didn't even give Yu or himself a chance to explain, giving them away unknowingly.</p><p>“Goro...nii?” he hears the man say as he takes a closer look at Yu in the kitchen, Goro trying his best to hide behind his guardian as he hears the footsteps coming closer.</p><p>“Yu, is this who you mentioned on the phone?” Dojima questions the teen trying to glance behind him to see the younger boy.</p><p>He only gets a confirmation via a quiet nod from Yu, before he looks back at Goro briefly then back at his uncle. “This is Akechi Goro. Officially, he's been a foster child under my care for about a week or two, but unofficially, I've been taking care of him for about a month now.” Yu states in a neutral manner, ignoring his own uncle's perplexed expression while still shielding Goro behind him.</p><p>“Yu, you're only seventeen. Not to say that I'm not proud you're helping someone out of a bad situation, but you're too young for this kind of responsibility... Does my sister even know about him?” Dojima questions before a younger voice breaks through the impending conflict.</p><p>“Dad. This isn't the police station.” Nanako points out, cutting through the interrogation.</p><p>“Nanako...”</p><p>The preteen hears Yu sigh in relief as his own protective hold on Goro loosens. Did this happen often?!</p><p>“Big bro knows what he's doing. You trusted him with me, and now, I get another big brother!” the young girl encourages before pulling her father away from her cousin and his ward. “C'mon. Let's eat. I'm hungry and the food's gonna get all cold.”</p><p>No one could argue with that as Goro's stomach growled at the mention of food, all before Dojima's did the same a few moments afterwards. Yu and Nanako burst into laughter as Goro joined them after, leaving Dojima to chuckle along as the last to join. That certainly did break away the tense atmosphere, leaving something much more warmer and familial behind for them to enjoy.</p><p>-</p><p>Dinner ended up being a memorable time, and the perfect chance for his uncle and cousin to meet the new addition to their family. More importantly, it felt like the two months Yu had been away in Tokyo never happened. Moments like this only solidified the idea that he felt he had always been part of the Dojima family and had lived there his whole life. The only change now was that he brought someone who was also in need of this domesticity, a home and family from which bonds could develop from. Yu hoped his uncle would be understanding of that, for Goro's sake at least, because he considered Goro as part of his own family since he began to live and care for the younger boy.</p><p>Nanako had fallen asleep eventually, tiring herself out from the excitement of the day. Goro retired back to their room so he could unpack first, or at least that's what his excuse was. At last, the only ones left were Yu and his uncle, alone in the living room.</p><p>That's when the interrogation really began.</p><p>His uncle waited a minute or two, listening to see if they'd have any little eavesdroppers coming down to listen in on a private conversation, then sighed and relaxed his position.</p><p>“You knew this was coming Yu... Come on, take a seat. Let's chat.”</p><p>He could feel a sense of hesitancy and uncertainty from his uncle, but Yu needed to come clean with this right here and now to avoid any future misunderstandings. He moves to take a seat on the dining room table rather than the low table in the living room, as Dojima gets his mug and Yu's, starting to prepare some coffee.</p><p>“How did you meet him?” his uncle starts.</p><p>“By chance. I was late coming back from kendo club one day, and it was storming. I tried to make it over to the subway as fast as I could until I noticed <em><b>him</b></em>. From where I stood that day, it looked like a child, huddled under the gutters of an alleyway, soaked and shaking from the storm. I was going to leave them be, until I noticed they were crying. That instantly reminded me of Nanako, during the night she ran off to the riverbank... After that, I couldn't just <em>leave</em> them there.” Yu recounts, staring off into space as he thinks back to that day, then laughs quietly. “I almost didn't follow through until Goro noticed I had been paying attention to him and started walking over to him. When he grabbed onto my pants and hid behind me from some officers, I knew I was going to follow through on at least helping him for the night.”</p><p>“And when you got back home, your parents didn't stop you?”</p><p>The dark expression on Yu's face said everything Ryotaro needed to know. As per usual, it seemed Yu's parents weren't home often. Even if they were home, he personally doubted they ever stopped to check up on their son unless it regarded his studies, their image or if they'd be moving again soon.</p><p>“I see.” Dojima muttered before sighing. “It was supposed to be the night, then what happened?”</p><p>“Then I found out how alone in the world he was. How he hadn't been shown kindness in a long time, and that he blamed himself for being alone and saw himself as a waste of space. To see that in a kid...It was awful uncle...” The teen trails off before grief fills his eyes. “Uncle, he lost his mother, while his father abandoned them before he was even born.” he nearly shouts as he tightens his fingers into a fist, upset over the fact that had been Goro's life before their chance meeting. If he had chosen to turn his back on the child, what would have become of the boy?</p><p>It was that piece of information that made it easy to see why Yu chose to take in the boy. His uncle sighed as he served the coffee, feeling his own fists start to loosen as he moved to hold onto his cup of coffee, his cup that symbolized him belonging to this family.</p><p>His uncle takes a seat across from him and starts. “It's reckless that you did all this, but I can't exactly blame you. You got involved and now you've got to stick to your guns. Just, don't hesitate to reach out for help, okay Yu?”</p><p>Uncle Dojima was okay with this? He had expected a much worse reaction.</p><p>“You're a part of this family. You're Nanako's big brother, and practically my own son at this point. Kids...are a handful, especially when you're taking care of one on your own, so don't forget that you've got people behind you who want to help. Okay?” Dojima warns as he puts a hand on his shoulder, the teen offering a small but grateful smile in return, ecstatic that his uncle respected his decision.</p><p>“Of course, thanks uncle.” Yu returns softly before they sip at their coffees and begin discussing various things, from how Yu should proceed with the adoption process once he's old enough to do it, to how they're handling school life in Tokyo. Their evening chat goes off without a hitch after the rough start.</p><p>-</p><p>The lights are still on when Yu makes his way upstairs to the bedroom. As he opens the door, he smiles at the fact nothing has changed about it. He'd thank his uncle later for keeping his word about keeping the room ready for him whenever he wanted to come back. For now, it looks like Goro had unpacked at least, considering he was in his sleepwear and had taken a seat on the sofa, reading over one of the novels left behind in the room. If he was reading that right, his ward was currently reading “Witch Detective”, and he must have enjoyed it considering the small smile on his face.</p><p>“Having fun?” the teen asks as he makes his way into the room.</p><p>“It's...interesting to say the least. Not the usual detective story I'd enjoy, but it's decent.” he hears Goro hum before getting a question back. “Think I could go pick up a few books for myself tomorrow?”</p><p>Yu smiles softly, only growing more and more fond of Goro as the days go on. He really did make the right decision, and it helped knowing that he'd have assistance if he couldn't take care of him on his own. “Yeah, we can stop by the Yomenaido Bookstore and Junes to see if you can find anything you'd like.” he promises as he walks over to the window, peeking outside to see what the noises outside were.</p><p>“It's raining..?” Yu mutters in surprise as Goro looks up at him.</p><p>“It started only a few minutes ago while you were talking to Dojima-san. Though, it is a little weird it just started raining...” The younger mutters before looking over at the clock. “You guys must have been talking for a while, it's almost midnight. Just less than a minute now.”</p><p>“Really? Hmm. You should turn in for the night then. Tomorrow's a new day after all.” Yu encourages as he glances at the television set in their room.</p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>With that response back, he can hear Goro moving around behind him, turning off the light he was using to read, making it easier to see if the TV would turn on. “<em>It's not gonna happen...</em>” Yu thought to himself like a mantra, moving to grab his sleepwear by using his phone as a flashlight, hearing the rustling of bedsheets behind him, likely his ward going to bed.</p><p>As he listens to the clock ticking down to midnight, Yu reminisces about the Investigation Team, and how they stayed vigilant in watching the Midnight Channel once they figured out that they could use it to track any victims that were thrown in the TV. It's funny to think at this point that a rumor like the Midnight Channel would end up leading a group of high school students to band together to solve a serial murder case and take down several parts of one larger broken goddess, then have also befriended the true goddess once she came back together. Two months later and Yu's back to a quiet lifestyle, a peace he won't ever take for granted again, but he still had the bad habit of waiting until midnight to watch a television screen that would never come on.</p><p>“<em>Nothing will show anymore, although....</em>”</p><p>There was a sense of unease creeping up on him. Maybe it was because he was back in Inaba. That he unconsciously feared the threat of the Midnight Channel appearing, even though his friends confirmed the Midnight Channel never aired again after they took down Izanami-no-Okami. It could have been tension in his nerves after the talk with his uncle Dojima. He had been afraid he'd get confronted about fostering Goro, but their talk ended up okay. His uncle chose to respect him for his decision and offer help, rather than prematurely judge him and kick him out like he had feared. Still, he'd watch it tonight.</p><p>“<em>Just in case</em>.”</p><p>With that in mind, Yu attempted to calm down as he waited, moving over to grab his suitcase resting against the couch to change into his sleepwear in the darkness of the room. Or he had been until a familiar sound of static echoed in the room, the television screen filled with a yellow tinted snow static, <a href="https://youtu.be/jynmVNddd1g">then<b> it</b> started</a>.</p><p>-</p><p>[ Rivals...They are...</p><p><b>Friends</b>, yet powerful <b>foes</b>!</p><p>The desperate fighting program amongst high school students!</p><p>A new <b>legend</b> is about to <em>start</em>!</p><p>“May the manliest of all men! Come on down!”</p><p>Nobody touches his Nanako and Goro! The <b>Sibling-Complex Kingpin of Steel</b>, <em>Yu Narukami</em>!</p><p>“It's only natural.”</p><p>Wage slave in the boonies by day, hero by night. <b>Captain Ressentiment</b>, <em>Yosuke Hanamura</em>!</p><p>“Everything that bores me has gotta go!”</p><p>A spunky dragon with deadly legs! The <b>Carnivore who's discarded Womanhood</b>, <em>Chie Satonaka</em>!</p><p>“You need to eat more meat!”</p><p>Please escort me to the ring, my prince! The <b>Unconquerable Snow Black</b>, <em>Yukiko Amagi</em>!</p><p>“I'll finish you in one strike!”</p><p>Blooming Roses and Bulging Muscles! The <b>Bloodcurdling Beefcake Emperor</b>, <em>Kanji Tatsumi</em>!</p><p>“Deep in the realms of romance!”</p><p>The body of a child – the brain of a genius! The <b>2000 IQ Killjoy Detective</b>, <em>Naoto Shirogane</em>!</p><p>“Is this an army of idiots?”</p><p><em>FIGHT</em>!</p><p>-and survive towards the one throne waiting at the end!</p><p>The <b>P-1 Grand Prix</b>, where <em>FIERCE FIGHTS</em> will be <em>FOUGHT</em>!</p><p>THE BATTLE BEGINS <b>T O N I G H T</b>!]</p><p>-</p><p>“What on earth was that?!” Yu exclaimed, trying to hide his shock as he pulled out his phone, another voice pulling him out of his thoughts.</p><p>“Wha--!! How did they know our names!? A-And did they just call you a kingpin with a <em>sibling complex</em>?!” Goro cried out from the same room, Yu's head snapping to the side to make eye contact with the very awake preteen, horrified at what he witnessed.</p><p>There on the bed, Goro was sitting straight up, blankets bunched up in his hands, visibly unsettled from the broadcast. While he was luckily unaware of any visuals that the Midnight Channel had shown, he had been plenty awake to hear it all. Yu could see his ruby eyes staring straight at him, demanding an answer without saying it outright.</p><p>“I-I'm just as confused as you are..” The teen stutters out, both a half-truth and a half-lie. He knew this was the Midnight Channel's doing, but this was much different than what they ever experienced during the case! “And don't repeat <b>that</b>! There's so much wrong with that phrase, that I don't even know <em>where</em> to begin...” he mutters, Goro not content with the answer as he sees the boy crossing his arms in the dimly lit room.</p><p>“You think?!” he hears the boy growl in annoyance as Yu's phone rings. Pulling it out, he sees the familiar name pop up on his phone's preview screen, Yosuke Hanamura (Partner). He looks to Goro for a moment, who gestures for him to open it.</p><p>“Go on, take it. But you owe me answers!”</p><p>Yu never thought he'd get ordered around by a thirteen year old, but there's a first time for everything, and everyone seems to be on high alert at the moment. “Just give me a bit, okay Goro?” He starts as he picks up.</p><p>[“SHIT! Hello? Yu?! It's Yosuke!”]</p><p>“Yosuke... Don't tell me you-”</p><p>[“Damn it, you saw it too then right? Look, I'm trying not to freak out right now, especially by calling you this late, but we really have to meet in person tomorrow, okay? <em><b>Early.</b></em> Oh damn it, I can't believe this was shown outside of Inaba if you saw it!”]</p><p>Yu could tell by the tone of his voice that he was panicking really badly. He could push himself into a panic attack if he over thinks this too much. Then again, Yosuke's reaction is justified since the Midnight Channel airing again signals the start of a new crisis. “Calm down partner... Teddie was supposed to tell you that I'm in town already. I came in a day early since we agreed to meet tomorrow, and I didn't want the trip to affect me when I saw everyone again. No one else outside of Inaba saw that.” Yu reassures, feeling Goro's observant gaze watching and listening to him intently.</p><p>[“Really? You were here already! I assumed you weren't here yet, and I didn't want to rely on you for just an afterthought or irrational fear. I had been thinking that even if it showed up, that I could handle this on my own... But the second it came on, I knew I had to let you know, <em>partner</em>. I can't hide something like this when it involves you.”]</p><p>The sentiment brings a small smile to his face in the heat of their panics of the Midnight Channel returning. “Hah, you haven't changed. Thanks, but I'm not about to leave this be, even on my holiday. So how about it, Captain Ressentiment?” he teases, hoping to lighten the mood and ease his best friend's worries.</p><p>Yu tries to ignore the quiet gasp from his young ward, who put together who had called his guardian during questioning and was trying to digest through the rest of their conversation to find more clues. If the younger boy wasn't listening into his phone call with his friend, Yu would compliment him on the fact that Goro had what it takes to be a good detective considering his higher observational skills at this age.</p><p>[“Ugh, dude! Why'd you have to zero in on that part?! Did you see how they called you a <em>Sibling-Complex Kingpin</em>?”]</p><p>Yu snorts. It's a little funnier to hear when it's just his friend saying it and not some ominous television program saying it. “Mines not that bad.” he returns, a shout of “<b>Yes it is!</b>” countering him from the bedside.</p><p>[“You think--!! Wait, what was that?”]</p><p>Oh no, he'd heard Goro's remark! Yu didn't even think about if Yosuke had heard Goro's name during the broadcast, as he still hadn't told them in order to surprise them tomorrow. Now their meeting would be focused on this P-1 Grand Prix instead of just getting to hang out... He wasn't sure how he'd break the news to Goro tomorrow morning that he wouldn't be allowed to come.</p><p>“N-Nothing. I just was thinking about the titles, you know?”</p><p>[“Oh, okay. By the way, I oughtta tell you, that program's not the only strange thing lately. Teddie, Rise and Kanji all aren't here either... They disappeared.”]</p><p>This entire situation explains the bad feelings crawling up on him. There's no doubt that these two incidents were related somehow. “All right. We should get together tomorrow morning, then go check this out.”</p><p>[“Yeah, at the Junes food court. I know this isn't the best situation, but I'm glad you're back, <em>partner</em>.”]</p><p>Yu could feel the tension around his body fade away at the familiar nickname and warm welcome back from his best friend, leaving him with a small smile. “It's good to be back.” he hums in response before a grin replaces it, one final thought coming to mind to hopefully help them both ease up before tomorrow's new mission.</p><p>“By the way, I'm sorry I forgot your souvenir. The one Teddie told me about, with the nurses. I didn't know you were into them.” Yu adds with a mischievous tone of voice.</p><p>[“Nurses... wait, no! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Shut up! That's enough! Damn it, you're trying to wind me up on purpose, aren't you?!”]</p><p>Yu didn't respond, too busy laughing to himself as Goro was left confused in the background about why nurses were brought up and why is it making Narukami laugh so hard?</p><p>[“Stay home, you jerk!”]</p><p>There was obvious pouting on the other side of the line, Yu wiping a small tear from his eye as he spoke back on the phone. “But I'm already here!” he returns back before fondly chuckling to himself once again. “I'll see you tomorrow, partner.”</p><p>He finally hangs up, and he's out of the pot and into the frying pan. Yu just really couldn't catch a break tonight, could he? “Alright Goro, what do you want to ask about?”</p><p>“That broadcast... The TV had been off the entire time, yet it came on without you even touching it. That's...not normal. And the person you had called on the phone, they were Hanamura Yosuke, right? The <em>Captain Ressentiment</em> of the P-1 Grand Prix?” Goro asks, looking for confirmation from Yu before the eldest of the two nods in defeat, taking a seat at the bedside so they could be quieter. “Judging by the fact both you and Yosuke-san were shocked about appearing on it, implies you didn't consent to appearing on that broadcast at all, nor had any knowledge of its existence in the first place. Then you mentioned that you're not going to ' let this be '. Just what's going on Yu?!” The brunette questions, as Yu hangs his head in defeat.</p><p>“Do you remember how Naoto was telling you about the serial murder case in Inaba when we were at the cafe?” The silver-haired teen asks, brushing away some hair from his eyes to look at Goro directly.</p><p>“I do.”</p><p>“This is related to that, and I need to figure out why there even was a broadcast in the first place.” He states firmly before two smaller hands grab at his own hand on the bed.</p><p>“Then take me with you! Someone new and unexpected might just be the upper hand you need to solve this!” Goro tries to reason as he gets a shake of the head, signaling a no.</p><p>“It's going to be dangerous. The answer is <b>no</b>.”</p><p>“I don't care!” The younger of the two shouts in the privacy of their own room, balancing his tone to be firm but quiet enough that they wouldn't wake Dojima and Nanako.</p><p>Even with the darkness of the room engulfing the two of them, he can see the glints of tears building in Goro's eyes. “What if you leave and you get hurt? I would never forgive myself then, because I didn't stop you. Right here, right now.” he states, his voice wavering as he speaks.</p><p>“How do you think I'd feel if <b>you</b> got hurt just following me? I just can't risk it. I'm sorry Goro.”</p><p>With a huff of the preteen, he knows that the other doesn't plan on letting up, but that they were done for the night. They both needed to cool off so they'd have level heads tomorrow morning to discuss this.</p><p>Running a hand through Goro's hair softly, he looks down at his ward, concern embedded in his gaze as the boy attempts to look everywhere but at him, anger and fear in those fiery red eyes. “Goodnight Goro. Sleep well.” he whispers before slipping away to go sleep on the couch, a soft response echoing back.</p><p>“...goodnight Yu. I-I wish you luck for tomorrow then.”</p><p>Yu didn't sleep well that night, but he was rested enough to get up early to meet up at Junes the next day.</p><p>-</p><p>“Hey, are you going somewhere?” Nanako called out.</p><p>He flinches. He'd been caught!</p><p>Goro had been trying to be careful, he didn't want Yu catching him deliberately disobeying him, but he needed to know that his guardian would be safe! He just had a feeling that something bad was going to happen considering the teen didn't want to talk with him about that weird broadcast last night.</p><p>He had planned to trail behind Yu, and had kept an eye out on him from the window in their room, looking to where he was going before rushing downstairs to follow. Then Nanako just had to spot him leaving instead of focusing on the TV. Groaning internally, he was afraid he was going to lose sight of Yu at this rate!</p><p>“J-Just about to. Yu said he'd wait up for me.” Goro lies, the little girl staring at him for a few moments before turning back to the TV program.</p><p>“Okay. I can watch the house while you're gone, so have fun! Oh! Take care of big bro, okay Goro-nii?” She cheers, making Goro think she bought it before she adds one more thing, implying she knew more than she let on. “He's probably gonna go be a cool hero with his friends, like they did when they saved me!”</p><p>It almost stopped him in his steps as he opened the door. “<em>Saved her</em>?” he contemplated before shaking his head. No, he had a target to follow for just being suspicious last night. “Mind telling me about it when I'm back Nanako-chan?” he asks quietly as he begins to step out.</p><p>“Uh-huh! Bye Goro-nii!” She cheers as Goro shuts the door, a hand trying to hide the pink engulfing his cheeks. He didn't know whether to be embarrassed or proud about the nickname, so he'd try to repress anything he felt about it.</p><p>Luckily, he managed to spot that familiar silver bowl cut farther up the street and began his pursuit. He wasn't going to lose him, especially over some secret.</p><p>-</p><p>The Junes food court was as lively as ever. Maybe even more so considering it's Golden Week. “<em>I should bring Nanako and Goro along after we deal with the Midnight Channel</em>.” he wondered to himself as he gazes over the rooftop of Junes for the first time in a long while, nostalgia rushing through him for a moment before a voice snaps him out of that trance.</p><p>“Ready for this partner?”</p><p>That's right. He and Yosuke had ended up running into each other in the elevators, and came up together. They greeted each other and made idle chat before they arrived since there were regular Junes customers riding with them, and they couldn't exactly talk about their new case in front of normal people.</p><p>It wasn't long until he and Yosuke spotted Yukiko and Chie, sitting down on a bench, waving them down when their eyes met. When they were all face to face with each other again after weaving through the crowds, the atmosphere around them became amicable. It was good to be back.</p><p>“Good to see you guys again.” Yu starts with a fond smile.</p><p>Chie's practically bursting with excitement to see him again, greeting him with tons of energy. “Welcome back! We missed you. The guest of honor's finally here! You're looking well, Yu!”</p><p>Yukiko's quick to greet him once Chie's done, however, she looks a bit more hesitant. Something's on her mind. “Welcome back. Um, should we...?”</p><p>Yosuke notices her hesitate just as much as Yu had, speaking up for her. “Huh? Oh, he already knows about the Midnight Channel thing. I was the one who called him up about it last night right after it showed up. He...saw it, just like we did.”</p><p>With that, the Amagi heiress looks relieved that at least Yu was aware of what's going on. “I see. This has turned into a pretty thrown together reunion, hasn't it? But, I'm glad you came.” she greets, a softer smile on her face now that her worries were set at ease.</p><p>After the rough start, the group plays catch up for a while. However, it wasn't long until Yosuke cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. He had probably been waiting for the right moment to say whatever he's planning.</p><p>“Well it sucks that we can't hang out more before jumping into another mystery, but to celebrate our partner's return... I hereby reinstate the Investigation Team in response to the Midnight Channel going back on the air last night!” He states with pride as Yukiko lights up.</p><p>“Ah-ho~! The team is <b>back</b>!”</p><p>Chie quips back with glee as well. “Just hearing that name again gets me all fired up! <em>Yeah</em>! Let's <b>do </b>this!”</p><p>Yu smiles as he leads a small round of applause at the announcement, chuckling at the familiar scene they're making. It's been a while since they'd been active like this. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Yosuke slightly embarrassed at their actions.</p><p>“I don't think the applause is necessary...”</p><p>Chie and Yukiko just giggle amongst themselves as Yu gives his best friend a slight shrug, he thought it was absolutely warranted for an occasion like this. However, it wasn't long before the obvious absence of the rest of the Investigation Team began to unnerve them all, agreeing this was no time to be lax. They couldn't afford to slack off when their friends were missing and the TV world was active again. It was time to start figuring out the current situation before they went in.</p><p>-</p><p>Goro can see a small group of four teenagers, one who was very well known to him, but the others were still alien to him. For having some kind of secret to hide from him, talking in public space wasn't what he had in mind when he thought of some sort of group meeting. Maybe that was the point though, being so obvious that they'd get looked over by stupid luck. Whatever the case, he could only hear the tail end of their conversation.</p><p>First, Yu and these people, likely the rest of his friends that he heard stories of, were part of this group, and called themselves the <b>Investigation Team</b>. Not the most creative name, but he had to admit it had a good ring to it. Secondly, there were more people involved, several of which went missing! Naoto Shirogane was not only aware of their group, but a part of it too! She just wasn't able to make it to the meeting, or at least that's the excuse they got. He personally doubted that she wasn't already getting involved.</p><p>If Miss Shirogane is a <em>true</em> detective, there's no way she hadn't already started investigating without them, especially if it was dangerous. This only meant Goro felt justified that he had ignored Yu's warning to come along. If it really was dangerous, he wanted to know that the one person who truly cared for him, would come back safely.</p><p>Finally, there was the program itself. They called it the Midnight Channel, and it really did correlate to the Inaba serial murder case, just like Yu had hinted at last night. Apparently, if someone was “in” it and the program came out clear, that meant they were in trouble. So, if that thing had aired last night, were they targeting Yu and the rest of his friends now?!</p><p>The thing he couldn't wrap his mind around was when they said they'd be going into the TV, and they use something inside of it to exit it?! No one can just hop inside a TV! It's a solid object. Goro figured it could mean some kind of code for doing something else, but...</p><p>Whatever the case, the Investigation Team was on the move, with Yu leading the way! Goro had to follow without being seen! Who knows how furious his guardian would be if he knew he was disobeying him, but at this point, it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.</p><p>Slipping through the crowds with ease thanks to his shorter stature, he trails behind the group of four until they stop at in the electronics aisle, right in front of a large flat screen television. Did they know he was watching them and were just making fun of him?! No, they couldn't be...because their poses as they stood in front of the TV looked to be more hesitant than aware that he was watching. They looked around the aisles at all the people around, were they afraid of someone watching them? Luckily, he had hidden himself well in the closest aisle next to them.</p><p>However, the real shocker came when he noticed Yu moving first, poking a single finger at the television screen, then it rippled in response to the touch, like water! Holding back a gasp of surprise, he refocused himself to watching them, as they looked ready to move once a group of customers moved off to the next aisle. As Yu stuck his hand inside the screen and it lit up white against the group of teens, Goro watched in horror as they then dove inside once the coast was clear.</p><p>“Wait, no! Stop!” He shouted out as he attempted to reach them in time, but it had been too late. They had already entered this strange phenomenon via the television. The group of teens were gone. <b>Yu was gone</b>.</p><p>Holding back tears, Goro brushed a hand up against the rippling screen as a feeble attempt to try and bring back his guardian. That touch was all the TV needed before he felt his own hand slipping inside. He tried to pull it back, but he could feel something was pulling him in.</p><p>“No no no... Let me <b>go</b>!” The preteen cried, his eyes welling up with tears. He couldn't stop it! Goro could no longer fight against this phantom force and succumbed to it, sensing himself being pulled inside as he shut his eyes, falling into the TV just as Yu had.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>-&gt; If you enjoy this series and want to read more into it, please subscribe to the <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877584">SERIES ITSELF</a> because subbing to one of the fics of the series won't notify you if another comes out. &lt;- </p><p>Ladies and gentleman, WE GOT HIM. <s>You guys hate me for that ending tho? ( :3c)</s> We have officially diverged from canon more than we had before, thrown the metaphorical dynamite onto the rails that is canon and let the train of this series ride on! It's time for the Persona 4 spinoffs to shine and bring out the rebellious other self within Goro, and more coming up soon. I'm excited how this is turning out~! Anyways, que up the Persona 4 Arena tunes as we'll have Goro exploring the TV world for the first time ever as Yu fights for his life to save "Nanako" and find Goro before its too late. My personal favorite of the P4: Arena OST is tie between Seeker of Truth and Spirited Girl.</p><p>Timeline check~! We're into early May, a few days into Golden Week, as Yu arrives in Inaba for Golden Week exactly on May 2nd! Age wise, still 17 and 13 respectively from our main boyos.</p><p>I'll see you guys again in the next chapter, "Into the Arena"!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Into the Arena</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Akechi Goro finds himself lost in the TV World and in some kind of high school. At least the school's student council president is willing to look after him until they find Yu. Elsewhere, Yu finds himself having to fight his own friends in order to search for Goro and find the initial victim.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><b>Beta'ed by Eposman</b><br/>
</p><p>
  <i><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877584">-&gt;Please read the series chronologically for more context about this AU&lt;-</a> and enjoy!</i>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After falling through a disorienting tunnel of white and black before being flashed with lights of various colors, Goro finally felt himself come back to consciousness, having fallen onto some kind of ground.</p><p>“Ugh...” he groaned as his body ached from awakening.</p><p>Despite how high he had fallen from, it didn't hurt as badly as he imagined it would. He was sure he'd have a broken leg or some other major injury from the fall. The worst he felt was slight pain all over his body and a minor headache. Those lights had just been too much.</p><p>“You're finally awake. Was gettin' tired of waitin' for you to wake up.”</p><p>An unfamiliar voice greets him as he sits up with one hand holding his aching head. There's a girl that looks about Yu's age, and she's in the same kind of uniform he saw Yu's friends wearing. That must be the standard uniform for the schools in Inaba.</p><p>He looks around to take in the surroundings. At best, he could tell he's in some kind of school courtyard, but the students around him look all blurry. Like they're not even there. The only one that's really clear and obvious to see is the older girl with him.</p><p>“Hello? It's a little rude just to stare. Speaking of which, aren't you a bit young to be in Yasogami High?” she calls to him, expecting a response out of him. Her hair is a mix between light gray and white, all tied back into a large ponytail, and she has fiery red eyes, just like him. Overall, she's pretty, but would definitely stick out compared to most students.</p><p>“Ah, my bad. I'm feeling rather dizzy after I...fell. You are right that I look too young for high school. I'm only thirteen after all. I'm not even sure how I got here.” he answers vaguely, unaware if he should tell her that he remembers falling into a TV last. Most people wouldn't exactly believe him, and he still has trouble believing what had happened as well...</p><p>The reply seems to be enough for her, as she offers him a hand. “Well, since you're just a kid, I guess I'll take it easy on you. After all, you probably have nothing to do with this mess.” She trails off, gesturing to the various signs, posters, and graffiti around them, all advertising the same thing: The P-1 Grand Prix.</p><p>His eyes are immediately drawn to one of the posters, where he spots the image of Yu with that ridiculous title they gave him on the Midnight Channel last night, but there's something odd about it. In the picture, he has a katana in hand, with a serious expression on his face, posing like he's some sort of swordsman. The weirdest thing in the promotional work of his guardian has to be the thing in the background! It looks to be some sort of steel monster, with yellow eyes behind a metallic mask, a long black tailcoat, belts all around, blade-like heels under what he assumed were its feet, and held a long naginata in its claws. Why would something like that be behind Yu?!</p><p>“You sure seem interested in those things... Don't tell me you're gonna encourage this thing too! I've got enough students to deal with over this as student council president! This event has no authorization from me or anyone else!” She questions as Goro snaps out of it and focuses back on her, rapidly shaking his head. Anyone with working eyes could tell she was angry about this event!</p><p>“N-No! I'm just...looking at the contestants. I know one of them, and they didn't consent to being in this event at all, so you're not the only one who's upset about this.” Goro states, frowning over everything that happened so far like falling in the TV, the Midnight Channel, Yu going missing in here. “<em>Tomorrow's a new day my ass, Narukami... This is a disaster!</em>” he thinks to himself as he watches Miss President take his hand to help him stand up.</p><p>Goro hated feeling like this, <em>weak</em>, <b>powerless</b>, unable to <em>help </em>anyone, including himself. It seemed he was stuck in this <em>TV World,</em> but he wasn't alone at least...</p><p>“Name's Labrys. As Yasogami's student council president, I can assure you that I'll find a way to shut this thing down for both our sakes. So, what's your name?” she asks once he's standing. After that, she starts to lead him out farther into the courtyard and near the school gate. There, she had a higher vantage point and there were lots of students around, with a megaphone sitting on top of a bench.</p><p>“I'm Goro. Akechi Goro. If you're the student council president, could you help me find someone? His name's Narukami Yu, and he's the one I was talking about earlier. The one who didn't consent to being part of this.” He asks, anxious about the situation and just being without his guardian for once. He wanted to find Yu as soon as possible and go back to the Dojima house. He's grateful he was found by Miss President. She was someone with authority around here, though he would much rather prefer Yu over anyone else.</p><p>“Course. Just stick with me kiddo! Ah, cover your ears for a second. I've gotta break this place up!” Labrys warns as she sets them both up on the bench and picks up the megaphone and turns it on, before barking out orders from it, Goro bracing himself by covering his ears for the inevitable.</p><p>[“Do you think it's funny, causin' a commotion here like this at school!? I better see everyone involved in this headin' home right now!”]</p><p>Oh yeah, she's mad and filled with enough spirit to keep up with that anger.</p><p>She pulls away from the megaphone for a second to complain about their situation, signaling that he could listen in again. “Where did they get this huge set!? Some people are always up to shenanigans...” she muttered with a visible scowl on her face.</p><p>Goro was about to answer her until he noticed another student approaching them, this one clear to see, just like Labrys was. “Miss President...” he whispers, giving a gentle tug at her sleeve to get her attention, then gestures at the male student approaching them. He looks familiar...wait, he had seen him before! “<em>It's one of Yu's friends!</em>” he shouted internally, relieved that the group of teens he watched throw themselves into the TV were still alive!</p><p>“H-Hello...” the stranger greeted them, causing Goro to narrow his eyes at the newcomer for the weak response.</p><p>“Oh...it's you. That Grand Prix contestant, Yosuke-kun. I mean, <em>Captain Ressentiment</em>.” Labrys returns, crossing her arms across her chest, aware of his identity.</p><p>That's when it clicked for him, when he got a name for the face. Not only was this person Yu's friend and part of Investigation Team, but Yosuke was also the person who had called Yu last night after that Midnight Channel promo!</p><p>Goro took in the other teen's appearance as <em>Headphones</em> and Labrys talked. Well, he had shaggy light brown hair that looked like it could be dyed, but then again Yu's hair was naturally gray so he couldn't judge. He also wore a similar uniform like the one Yu had put on this morning, just with a different undershirt and a folded collar, and headphones that hung around his neck. He looked just about as tall as Narukami too. If this was the person Yu had called last night, Goro could see why his guardian seemed so casual with him. This guy looked like someone fun to be around. Ah, just what did he call him again, <em>partner</em>? No, Goro shouldn't call him <b>that</b>...it was probably a name reserved for Yu and Yu alone. That's how those kinds of things worked, <em>right</em>?</p><p>“E-Excuse me--!!” the preteen attempts to start to get Hanamura's attention, but a crack of the PA system coming alive cuts him off.</p><p>[“<b>Helloooo boys and girls of Yasogami! The P-1 Grand Prix is about to begin!</b>”]</p><p>His plans are foiled once again, as something else requires their attention now. Judging by the shock in both Labrys and Hanamura's faces, they each had their own concerns about whoever was making the announcement.</p><p>“That voice...is that Rise? She's here at school!?” Hanamura muttered while Miss President looked angrier.</p><p>“They're even usin' the school PA system!?”</p><p>Looks like that voice over the intercoms especially ticked off Labrys, as she moved to grab her megaphone and Goro prepared to cover her ears for her upcoming rant. Looks like Yosuke wasn't ready because he got surprised by her sudden voice amplification from the megaphone.</p><p>[“How many times do I gotta repeat myself! This is your last warning! Stop this at once!”] She demanded through the device, but many of the blurry students refused to budge.</p><p>That's when the PA system retorted a response back that got those students moving.</p><p>[“<b>Oh no, it's Miss Sourpuss! She's trying to stop our fun!<br/>
Everyone, get her outta here!</b>”]</p><p>Even he could hear the mockery in this girl's voice over the intercom! Goro was about to get snarky back at her for insulting Labrys when she was the only one with sense around here, but then he saw movement in the corner of his eye. Those blurry students, they were coming closer, starting to surround them! Hanamura looked shocked as well, trying to talk sense to the person on the intercoms like he knew her, but that didn't stop the students from trying to crowd the three of them.</p><p>“Step back Akechi-kun. Looks like I've gotta make this personal...”</p><p>Miss President's firm voice broke through the tense atmosphere, as she positioned herself to stand her ground. Goro wasn't about to get in her way, so he moved closer to Hanamura, taking notice of how her eyes narrowed at the crowd around them.</p><p>“I <b>warned</b> you all.”</p><p>Labrys abandoned her megaphone in a split second and began to strike back, simple taps bringing down students who hadn't expected her to confront them.</p><p>“<em>What a group of morons, thinking she wouldn't defend herself...</em>” He thought as he watched her finish them off, the last one standing. Glancing up at the taller boy he took cover behind, Hanamura had looked just as bewildered as he was.</p><p>“That's amazing..” Headphones muttered as Goro grinned.</p><p>“Your student council president is really impressive.” the preteen added as the taller finally realized there was a presence beyond his and Labrys's.</p><p>“Gahah! What the-?! A kid? When did you even-!?” Hanamura sputters out, making Goro snort at the other's surprise. He could see why Yu had teased him over the phone last night! Headphones had <em>very</em> entertaining reactions.</p><p>“I came here through the TV in the electronics aisle, like you guys did. By the way, all of you weren't very stealthy. You should work on that.” He criticized with a neutral expression mostly just to tease him, getting the intended shock and confusion from the older boy, like he didn't believe someone caught them. It took all Goro's self-control to not just start laughing. However, the calm that Labrys provided by taking down the crowd didn't last, as the intercom came back to life with that overly cheery voice greeting them once more.</p><p>[“<b>Oooh. So much for that...then how about this!?</b>”]</p><p>The sound of something cracking above them rings out right after the mystery girl finishes her statement. Both he and Hanamura look up, a large monitor above Labrys starting to swing back and forth in a dangerous manner.</p><p>He hears the older boy say something in disbelief, but Goro's more worried about Labrys.</p><p>“Miss President, get away from there!” He cries out, hoping she'd heed his words in time. What he doesn't expect is for Hanamura to step away from his side and towards the student council president. At this rate, they'd both get crushed and hurt from being too close to the monitor's intended impact, even if he pushes her out of the way!</p><p>Goro doesn't want to watch.</p><p>He shuts his eyes as he hears Labrys scream, either from the sudden situation or from Hanamura moving to grab and protect her. He can hear Hanamura scream shortly afterwards as the monitor cables snap from above and it comes crashing down. Then, there's the sound of a swift cut, metal being cut and glass being cracked. Something hits the ground, yet he didn't hear anything human besides Hanamura and Labrys also skeptic about being alive. What happened?!</p><p>The preteen opens his eyes, and finds a large creature is standing before Hanamura, Labrys tucked behind him with his own body prepared to act as a shield. The monitor that had been above those two now lied on the ground, split into two pieces with one piece on their left and right sides, debris all around them. Goro's eyes were stuck on the creature in front of those two. It was large and intimidating, definitely inhuman. He stayed focused on it enough that he didn't even hear the PA coming back to taunt them for being alive, only being broken out of the trance when Labrys came back for him, her eyes filled with determination and the ever present anger as she took hold of his hand.</p><p>“C'mon kid. We got a lead on the bozos behind all this! They're hidin' out in the Announcement Room!” She states as she picks him up and sets him up for a piggy-back ride, flustering Goro for the sudden wake-up call and being picked up like a toy.</p><p>“W-Wait! Shouldn't we stay with Hanamura-san?”</p><p>“No time! We gotta go!” The student council president returns as she breaks into a run, bolting away from the courtyard with him in tow. Her extreme pace makes him only hold on tightly to her and hope he doesn't get a bad headache after this. She only stops briefly to wave back at Hanamura and thank him, making him relieved for the short reprise, enough for him to call out to Headphones before they're back on the run.</p><p>“Thanks for saving me back there!” She finishes with a warm smile as Goro adds to it.</p><p>“Be safe Hanamura-san, and please! Find Yu and tell him Akechi's with Miss President!”</p><p>With that, the two were gone, completely unaware of the flabbergasted Yosuke they left behind, nor the fight between Persona users that occurred shortly after they left the premises.</p><p>-</p><p>“<em>Ṇ̷̨̺́ò̴̢̨̰̍ ̵͍̙̮̎̆̐n̸̡̙͆ͅo̷̰̔ ̵̯̗̠͌̄̕n̸̺̠̦̈o̸̞̲͎.̸͎̣̈́͌.̸̟͙̌.̷̗̈́̿̈́L̶̼̦̚͝e̸͉̎̽t̵̳̻͚̽̀̂ ̷̥̈́m̵͔̱̔͑ě̷̛̤͎̫͝ ̴̢͔̞͝g̴̨o̵̝̹̮̎͒!̶̝̦͗</em>”</p><p>Gray eyes snapped open immediately.</p><p><b> Goro</b>. That was Goro. He'd followed him into the TV and now he's inside, without a persona!</p><p>The thought of that got him to sit up straight and push himself off the ground, ignoring any slight bodily pain he had from the landing.</p><p>Yu had heard him. He's sure he did, even if it was faint. It happened right as they entered the TV World through the usual tunnel. Suddenly, the tunnel became corrupted and unusual, blinding him and all his friends! Now he's here.</p><p>Speaking of, where was <em>here</em> exactly..?</p><p>It took a few seconds for Yu's vision to refocus itself onto the world around him. It looked to be a replica of sorts, mirroring the music room back at Yasogami. However several things stuck out to him, like the many portraits of musicians plastered over the room, all with eerie shining eyes that seemed to watch his every move. There were also shoes circling the grand piano nearby him, like some sort of ritual summoning. The most obvious part of this replica came from the room itself, not holding any “warmth” from the students that came and went through the room everyday. It lacked the emotions students like Ayane, a friend from symphonic band club and his social link of the Sun arcana, put in day in and day out.</p><p>This was a dungeon. He had fallen into a fake Yasogami High.</p><p>Nothing was adding up. First, was the entrance tunnel getting corrupted as they went through it, then there was the fact he's inside a dungeon already rather than out in the studio backlot they called the entrance area, and finally came the fact he was separated from everyone when they had all jumped in together.</p><p>“This has never happened before..” he muttered to himself as he began to pace around the room. He tried to get out and explore the fake school campus, but a sort of invisible wall kept him trapped inside! Yu found out the hard way about the barrier, walking right into it as he tried to leave.</p><p>His investigation of the room is cut short when the sound of an intercom breaks through the relative silence, a voice he knows well commentating from it.</p><p>[“<b>Helloooo! Sorry for the wait!<br/>
Greetings boys and girls of Yasogami!<br/>
The P-1 Grand Prix is about to begin!</b>”]</p><p>Rise was here as well. She, Kanji and Teddie were all supposedly missing, but Teddie was acting as some sort of host for this event from the initial promotion last night during the Midnight Channel! Now Rise's helping out in the Midnight Channel's return as well? Something was terribly wrong, he could feel it as chills ran through his spine as Rise continued her introduction over the intercoms.</p><p>[“<b>There's no need for manners or courtesy or anything today,<br/>
so let it all hang out! Tell us how you really feel!</b>”]</p><p>Rise was using her stage voice, and not just the usual stage voice, but one filled with ridicule and mockery, intended to goad those who were listening in. There's no way that Rise would do this herself, something was wrong, had something happened to her!? This dungeon was already mildly off-putting considering everything that made it stand out from any others the Investigation Team had gone through beforehand.</p><p>“Rise! Is that you? What's going on?!” Yu calls out, but gets nothing in response. Is she not allowed to answer back? Was she purposely ignoring him? Whatever it may be, it didn't matter as muted voices began to build in the background, cheers and shouts of excitement. By looking back, he notices students watching from the hallway, the entrance, everywhere! He finds himself annoyed that there were students in the areas he couldn't leave from. Damn that invisible wall.</p><p>[“<b>Ahe-he-hem! May I have your attention, please!<br/>
I, Risette, will be your commentator. But first,<br/>
the General has some words for you all!</b>”]</p><p>“The General..?”</p><p>Did she mean Teddie in that weird getup? He doesn't get the chance to think about it more as the monitor in the music room turns on, and there he is. It really is him, and he's still wearing that strange outfit like he had on the air last night during the Midnight Channel.</p><p>[“<em>Heheheheh... You're all here now. Well then!<br/>
I'm proud to announce the opening of our bear-y own P-1 Grand Prix!</em>”]</p><p>First Rise, now Teddie?! Were they really behind this insanity? He just had to know, to get some kind of answer in this precarious situation...</p><p>“Teddie, what's going on here? We came to look for you and Rise, and--!!” Yu starts before he's cut off by the bear himself.</p><p>[“<em>Ughhh, always with the talking Sensei! It's a big waste of time.<br/>
Less talk, more fighting! Would the next challenger come on down?</em>”]</p><p>Great, now his concerns were being brushed off. Teddie never acted like this, not even with Yosuke. He's not acting like himself at all, and neither was Rise. What did it all mean?</p><p>The broadcast of <em>General</em> Teddie cuts out as smoke fills the room from beneath him, blinding him from seeing who's entering. Eventually, the smoke begins to clear, and Yu gets into a defensive stance. He had to keep his guard up for whoever came his way because everything had been wrong since he woke up in this room.</p><p>Who he sees makes him ease up immediately. It's Yosuke. While he hadn't planned to run into him like this, Yu's relieved to see that his partner is safe at the very least. But, the <em>General</em> had mentioned “the next challenger” and the Midnight Channel broadcast made this whole P-1 event seem like a fighting competition. Did this mean he was expected to fight his own best friend?! He thought the day couldn't get any worse since finding out Goro fell in after them and getting stuck in this weird dungeon, but the bar was getting set lower and lower the longer he stayed here...</p><p>“Great....They're expecting you and me to fight.” Yu starts with, as Yosuke chuckles quietly at that.</p><p>“Heh, looks like it. Sheesh, what's Teddie thinking?” the brunette returns as friendly banter. Yu can feel himself relaxing as they chat. Then the <em>General</em> spoils the peaceful moment by coming back on the music room monitor.</p><p>[“<em>Grrr!! Starting that up already?<br/>
I won't let you get all buddy-buddy with each other!<br/>
These battles are fought to the death! Only the victor can proceed.</em>”]</p><p>Whoever the General was, whether it was a fake or the real Teddie, they slipped up. “I won't let you” was how he phrased it right? So there was something going on behind the scenes! Something that was going to force them into fighting. Yu felt he's had enough of this...</p><p>“This joke's gone on far enough General Teddie. We're not going to play along with that.” Yu states firmly, resteathing his katana and glances over to Yosuke. He wasn't going to seriously go along with this, was he?</p><p>“Oh really? I guess he should go ahead and declare me the winner then.”</p><p>Oh no. He wasn't serious, was he? Had something happened between that moment with the monitor that he didn't see happen to his partner, or was this of his own free will?</p><p>“Yosuke..?”</p><p>Yosuke's position changes, changing to a much more cocky and bold one, grinning all along as he responds to Yu's disbelief in a carefree manner.</p><p>“What? You don't plan on fighting, right? That means I win by default.”</p><p>Well, he's right, but it shouldn't matter! Did their fistfight back at the Samegawa Riverbank mean nothing anymore? That being equals wasn't as important as victory over some fake competition, when they came in here to save someone?! He's willing to overlook it if it means getting out of this weird dungeon, finding Goro and the victim who was thrown in, but then Yosuke just continues. There was more to this than he was letting on...</p><p>What he says next makes Yu's blood boil with a cold seeping rage, built up from the consecutive events of the day.</p><p>“Oh... but is that really okay with you? I mean, what with <em>Nanako-chan</em> and <em>Goro-kun</em> being here and all.” the headphones wearing teens asks, provoking Yu more as it was a taunt than an actual question.</p><p><b>No</b>. Absolutely <b>not</b>. <b>Nothing</b> would be <em>okay</em> if he surrenders now. As if things couldn't pile any further, Nanako was in here as well?! That should be impossible! He saw her back at home when he left this morning. Even then, she couldn't enter a TV on her own. If she's in this world, had the culprit who threw in the initial victim trapped in here go for her next? How would they have even known about her? It's hard for him to believe it. But...</p><p>Yu can feel his mind wander off, fearing the worst possibilities of this situation. Not only was Goro in danger of getting hurt or becoming ill from being in the TV too long but it's likely he was alone and scared wherever he was in this dungeon. Then there was his little sister, Nanako, who could relapse and go into critical condition if she stays here for much longer again!</p><p>It would take a miracle for Yu not to lose his cool over whoever was responsible for this!</p><p>“<em><b>Where</b></em>?!” Yu growls, only getting false concern in return.</p><p>“Wait really? You haven't seen her? She's with Teddie. The same for Goro-kun as well. Teddie had been gloating at the fact he found out about <em>Sensei's dirty little secret</em> before everyone else on the last monitor I saw.” Yosuke recalls before sighing. “Still, I can't believe you'd hide something this big from us. I thought you could <em>trust</em> us. Some friend you are...” he mocks.</p><p>“Yosuke, where are<b> they</b>?!” The usually level-headed leader demands, his demeanor changing from casual to serious once he knew more than one life was at risk now.</p><p>It surprised even Yosuke, who looked thrown off when he noticed Yu wasn't playing around anymore. “Whoa...what's gotten into you, partner? No need to get hysterical.”</p><p>His attempts at easing Yu back down failed. Even if he meant well by letting him know what was at stake, Yosuke had <em>unknowingly</em> riled him up.</p><p>“Why are you so calm about this!? You know what happened to her last time she came in here!” Yu states firmly, unwilling to change how he's acting about this.</p><p>As the Investigation Team leader, it's up to him to stay calm, and he's <b>trying</b>. He's trying not to think about the last time this happened. It'll always haunt as his weakest point in life, when Nanako had been kidnapped. Even mentioning it makes his heart wrench, the memory <em>that</em> embedded into his mind. It was a reminder that he won't let happen again. Right, he wouldn't let it happen <b>again</b>.</p><p>Yu took a deep breath, refocusing his mind to two goals. First, rescue the initial victim. Second, find Nanako and Goro. It was wrong for him to lash out at Yosuke, when he had just been trying to warn him that there was more at stake. Maybe he did it the wrong way, but Yu at least got the message now...</p><p>Yosuke said he saw them last with Teddie on the monitor, but Yu doesn't believe that's the real Teddie because of how he's acting. So whoever the <em>General</em> was, they were the host of this entire thing. Then if that's true, this <em>General </em>had been the one to take Nanako into the TV.</p><p>“Yosuke, be straight with me. Are you sure Nanako and Goro are with Teddie?”</p><p>Now the brunette looks a bit stumped, despite looking so sure earlier. Another tip off that something wasn't right, even if Yosuke's words had some truth to them. “Uh, how should I know? If I had to guess, I'd say they're probably still with him.” He offers before the tone in his voice changes once more to something more underlying. “Man, are you all right? Are you <em>that</em> worried about Nanako-chan and Goro-kun? It's no wonder people look at you funny, thinking you have a sibling-complex, haha.”</p><p>Yu can feel his eye twitching from that. There it was again! A sudden switch of concern to sarcasm and mocking him. He knew his best friend, and there was something definitely wrong with his erratic behavior right now. Yes, Yosuke <em>could</em> say insensitive things at times, but that's usually when he's read too much into a situation and became outspoken. This, this was targeted and was meant to be hurtful. Yu really wanted to give him one last chance before it came down to a brawl.</p><p>“Yosuke...are you all right?”</p><p>“Huh? What're you talking about? I should be the one asking <b>you</b>. She's not <em>even</em> your real sister. All that <em>big bro</em> stuff <b>really</b> creeps me out. Don't even get me started on the fact you couldn't stand being away from her enough that you went and took in an abandoned bastard kid, just so he could do the same.”</p><p>“<em>Stop.</em>” Yu cried out in his mind, unable to vocalize it.</p><p>None of that was true or right. Yosuke had been the one who suggested the nickname to Nanako in the first place, so how could he go and turn his back on her like that! Next, how could he even judge a child who he didn't even get the chance to know--!! <em>Wait</em>.</p><p><b>That's it</b>.</p><p>It really was all fake. Whatever he was hearing and seeing, none of it was real because the real Yosuke would have no idea <b>who </b>Goro even is! He was still a surprise for his friends at this point, since their hangout meeting this morning had turned into a case discussion after the Midnight Channel reappeared last night. He wouldn't know his background either, since Goro was adamant about moving on from it now that he had support. The silver-haired teen elects to ignore whatever this illusion of Yosuke is saying, because whoever was in front of him wasn't acting like the real one he knew. And if Nanako and Goro really were in here, he was going to find them, even if it meant fighting his own partner...</p><p>Yu can feel his hands moving back over the katana's sheath. Guess he'd have to snap his friend out of it, and show him the <b>truth</b>.</p><p>“....Draw your weapon. You'll get your fight.” Yu states as his katana is back at the ready, prepared for the battle ahead of them.</p><p>“What?! Dude, what're you saying? You said you'd let me win by default!”</p><p>Not fighting wasn't an option anymore. Whether this Yosuke was the real one under someone's control or he was a fake entirely, Yu needed to move on from here to start searching. If his friends would all be acting odd like this, he couldn't afford to lose time when he was on the clock to save three people seemingly on his own.</p><p>“I don't know if you're being controlled or if there's something else going on here... Either way, you must understand the best way to resolve this situation.” He starts as he cuts through the air with the katana in hand, sparks of electricity flying off it. “Sorry, but I'm gonna go all out. No hard feelings.”</p><p>[“<b>Huuuuh? All that talk and you're still gonna fight against your own partner after all?!<br/>
Well, whatever... Let's hurry up and get this started! Ready...?</b>”]</p><p>Yu Narukami was as ready as he could be for this. It's time.</p><p>-</p><p>Maybe he took it too far.</p><p>Yu could still feel particles in the air from all the electric attacks he and Izanagi threw out. The room used for their battle looked like a typhoon had run through it from all the wind-based attacks Yosuke and Jiraiya had dished out as well. He and Yosuke had been evenly matched the entire fight. After all, they were each other's weaknesses.</p><p>At least it was all over now.</p><p>He glances over to where Yosuke is slumped over on the ground. He had collapsed right when Yu had Izanagi fire off a ziodyne as a straight line of electricity, all aimed to finish him off. He was breathing, which was a comfort considering their fight earlier to say the least.</p><p>Yu sheaths his katana back and throws it to the side, running to Yosuke's side.</p><p>“Wake up... It's over now.” he calls out as he puts his hand over his best friend's, trying to help sit him up. The gripping at it after the action signaled that Yosuke was coming to once more.</p><p>“Oww....couldn't you have held back a little?! I seriously thought you were going to kill me.” The injured brunette complained as Yu sighed in relief. Yosuke sounded like he was in his right mind. Then again, so had the false one earlier when they started talking before the match.</p><p>“The same for you... I wouldn't have stood a chance if I had held back on you.” Yu returned as he began to look over his partner's injuries. They weren't severe, but they would hurt for the rest of the day. He regretted not being able to summon his other personas outside of Izanagi for the moment. Kaguya would be a big help right now with a Mediarahan for both of them, but of course this dungeon just had to have persona restrictions for the <b>one wildcard</b> among the Investigation Team.</p><p>“Can you stand? Come on, you can rest when you're against the wall.”</p><p>It was a struggle for two injured teens to make their way over to the wall of the fake room, groans of pains coming from both as they moved around after everything that had happened, but they made it. Once they were against the wall, Yu took notice about the lack of malice or wrongness he had sensed from Yosuke earlier. His partner was back, wasn't he? He had accepted Yu's assistance after all.</p><p>He doubted that for a moment when Yosuke's demeanor changed once more, from pained to anger and annoyance.</p><p>“Anyway...that aside. Shut up about the nurses already! It's not like that's the only thing I ever think about!” He shouted, leaving Yu stunned. Just when had he mentioned that?!</p><p>“What..? What's this about nurses?” Yu asks with genuine confusion.</p><p>“Huh? You were harping on it the whole time! How can you just stand there and constantly insult my taste of women with a straight face!?” Yosuke provides, in an attempt at giving context to the situation. “Is it such a crime to like nurses?!”</p><p>Yu had no memory of mentioning nurses any time today! In fact, the most he remembers even relating to that was when he had made the quick tease last night over the phone. He especially wouldn't bring it up at a time like this, when they had to be on guard about everything. This was the TV World, they couldn't afford risking anything here! If Yosuke was telling the truth, then there had been serious miscommunication on both their sides, or worse, they were being purposely manipulated to egg on these fights.</p><p>“<em>Wait a second...</em>”</p><p>They needed to sort this out.</p><p>As they leaned against the wall for support and rested their aching bodies and minds, the two were able to piece together what had happened before the fight. From Yosuke's point of view, Yu had been his third fight in a row, and his first loss. Meanwhile, Yu just fought and won his first fight, right after waking up in the music room no less. However, it was concerning how long he had been out if Yosuke had been out there this entire time, fighting against their own friends just to keep moving.</p><p>The way his partner described how Chie and Yukiko were acting before the fight unnerved Yu. In his opinion, he's glad Yosuke had already fought against them and knocked them out of the competition's bracket. This way, Yu didn't have to go up against them and they'd be safe from further harm. There weren't any guarantees that he wouldn't be running into the rest of their missing friends in here though.</p><p>“By the way, Yu.... When I was trying to reason with you-!! I mean, the <em>Yu</em> I saw before our fight, after all the nurse taunting. You had seemed overly <b>obsessed</b> over Nanako-chan and some other kid, making good on that <em>Sibling-Complex</em> title Teddie gave you. Then I tried to tell you I had a message from one of them, but that ticked you off further! You brought your katana out on me when I said I talked with them, threatening me with it unless I told you which I spoke to and why I had done it so casually..” Yosuke explained, muttering something about some bloodshot gray eyes the fake had. Yu grimaced at the mental image of that. He knows how frightening he could appear when serious, but to aim all that anger towards his own best friend, it must have a <em>nightmare</em>!</p><p>Wait, <b>a message</b>?</p><p>“You have a message from one of them? That's great. Anything that can help find them would be a big help. If you're right, I could find one of them and have you watch them, since it looks like you'll be stuck here until this event is over, while I go out to try and end this madness. Uh, if that's okay with you...” Yu expressed, his demeanor changing to one that was relaxed instead of tense and anxious from the fight. Yosuke took notice as well, taking his cue to rest up as well.</p><p>“See, now this is how I had hoped you would react! Not by pointing your katana at me...” His partner jokes, chuckling as he looks back on it, their eyes meeting as Yosuke grinned at Yu. “Right, the message. I got it right before my first round, so you might have to catch up with anyone else still fighting in this thing.” He reminds before giving further context. “There was a boy, brown hair, red eyes, short. He was getting a lift from our Student Council President, a girl with lighter hair than you and brighter red eyes than him. Before they ran off, he told me that if I saw you, to tell you that <em>Akechi's with Miss President</em>. I think she had mentioned that whoever hijacked the school would be in the Announcement Room, so they both went. That's all I have about them, partner..” He trails off before something comes to mind.</p><p>“Wait, speaking of which. Who was that Yu? The kid knew you and even caught us going into the TV! He said he fell in after us.” The brunette questions as Yu looks shocked.</p><p>That confirms it then. Goro was here in the TV, and he was with someone else heading over to the announcement room. That just meant he had to keep fighting for just a bit longer to make his way over there as well. However, Yosuke was waiting for an answer, and he wasn't about to risk their friendship after everything that had happened. Surprise or not, they deserved to know.</p><p>“You heard a second name when they did my introduction during the Midnight Channel, right? It's a long story, but I'm fostering someone right now. His name is Akechi Goro, and he's a good kid. He's got the skills to be a detective, like Naoto... I just wish he hadn't used those skills to follow us in here.” Yu explains before Yosuke's eyes light up with recognition.</p><p>“Wait! So that second voice I heard when I called yesterday...was that him!?”</p><p>“Yeah. Goro...also saw the Midnight Channel air last night, or at least, heard the entire thing. We were heading to bed, but I couldn't stop worrying over whether it would show up or not. In the end, I waited until midnight while I sent him to bed.”</p><p>Yosuke takes a moment to stew over the new information. Yu had no doubts about his partner's deductive and analytical skills. After all, before Naoto joined them, it had just been the two of them who tried to put together all the information they had on the case, and they were the two who started investigating the murders. Maybe Yu was the leader of the Investigation Team, but Yosuke would always be his trustworthy second-in-command.</p><p>“So, he knows our names, but not our faces? Man, this just got more complicated...” Yosuke asks to confirm with Yu, getting a nod back from his friend before he groans, stretching his arms up into the air, the pain easing up in his body now. Taking a breath in and out, he decides to recap what they know so far.</p><p>“First, we have the victim who first was thrown in. I'm betting on it being Miss President, because she's the only other person I've seen around here that I don't recognize. I don't think she's aware we're in a fake Yasogami High either. Then we have Akechi-kun, who fell in after us and is hanging around with Miss Pres. Finally, there's the possible third victim, Nanako, if that fake Yosuke you saw and <em>General </em>Teddie's words are anything to go by.” Yosuke summarizes before sighing and shaking his head, overwhelmed by this all. “Man, I don't envy you at all, Yu... I'd love to follow and help you look around, but Teddie's rules say only the winner of each round can advance. Though, if anyone can do this, it's got to be you. I'll be cheering you on from here, so go get 'em partner!”</p><p>Yosuke's encouragement rouses back the calm in Yu's soul. This was the partner he came to know, his equal, his best friend. He can tell Yosuke's a bit disappointed he won't be able to help anymore than he has, Yu's grateful for what he got done on his own. Wrapping an arm around the other's shoulder, he gives his partner a gentle side hug, gratitude and relief written over his expression.</p><p>“Thank you for getting as far as you did. It's because of you that I know Goro's safe and who the victim is so we can get them both out of here. Our fight together was dangerously amazing, and while I'd rather avoid another, it was great to spar with you, not holding anything back. And...it helped to find out what's going on here before I actually lost my cool and hurt someone seriously over a fake's words. I couldn't have asked for a better partner through all this..” Yu wistfully expresses. He was essentially forced to leave his friend behind to the mercy of the dungeon and hope the <em>General</em> kept his word to leave them out of this tournament now that they had lost.</p><p>The whole interaction left Yosuke flustered from the sudden attention before eventually giving into the friendly hold. Both of them wanted to be grounded by something familiar after all the tricks and illusions this dungeon had pulled on them, proving this tournament was taking a toll on them. This at least gave Yu the stability he needed to keep moving forward, a reminder that his bonds were genuine and would continue to lead him to the truth, just as they had before.</p><p>“Yeah. I guess I'm pretty great, but so are you. Now, go be a hero already and get us out of here. I've got a few words for that damn bear when you find him.” Yosuke jokes as he gives the other a grin of confidence. It's all Yu needs to keep moving forward as he pushes himself to stand back up to leave the music room. A small smile graces Yu's face as he prepares to head out, hand on the doorway out of the room before Yosuke calls for his attention one more time.</p><p>“Hey! Don't wear yourself out, alright?”</p><p>The smile grows just a bit from that sentiment of his, flashing his friend with the growing smile before walking out into the hallway.</p><p>“I won't.”</p><p>-</p><p>While he and Labrys wandered around the school campus, Goro got the chance to see a lot of people. Clear people that were easy to see versus the shadowy crowds of students hanging out behind them, normally for a fight. From one of the few he got to spectate while he hung onto the student council president, he could see a familiar detective in their signature blue petticoat and cap fighting against some brutish looking student, armed with a chair of all things. That certainly piqued his interest.</p><p>“Ah! Labrys! Can we go watch them fight? I need to talk to Shirogane-san down there. She might have a clue on what's going on around here. After all, she's a detective!” He tries to reason, but the president doesn't slow down nor acknowledge him as they continue to wander the ever changing hallways.</p><p>Goro could only see portions of the fight from the open doorway into the gymnasium, but it sounded intense. Gunfire, metallic slams, cracks of electricity, he could hear it all! Soon, all the sounds ceased, and there was only calm and some sounds of conversation inside. He really wanted to see what had happened in there, but Miss President refused to let him near anything after the monitor incident, citing that he'd get hurt before he even found Narukami.</p><p>Soon enough, someone came out of the only opened doorway to and from the gymnasium. Considering he saw a glimpse of blue leaving, it was likely Miss Shirogane who won the fight. It was time to make himself known.</p><p>Goro cupped his hands together to help his voice get across the longer distance before taking a deep breath and shouting.</p><p>“Shirogane-san!”</p><p>It did the trick as the familiar detective turned around to face the student council president and young preteen being carried around by her. She was too far away to properly see her expression changed, but she seemed to be shocked or surprised.</p><p>“Akechi-kun, we shouldn't talk with 'em unless we want to get caught up in a fight!” Labrys points out to him, causing him to pout childishly.</p><p>“Shirogane-san would never! She knows my guardian and I, so maybe she could help us out. I was just trying to help..” he huffs out before he spots her starting to rush towards them. “See Miss President. Here she comes!”</p><p>Despite the fact she was running towards them and it looked like she was saying something, he couldn't hear her. Suddenly, it seems like Naoto collides into something like a wall and falls down, only a short distance away from them. Her lips are moving, but nothing is coming out. <em>Odd</em>.</p><p>“She fell? But there's nothing there. We just walked across that place earlier..” Goro thinks out loud before turning back to Labrys, hoping to ask about her opinion on this. However, she seems preoccupied, her expression filled with shock and grief, her red eyes look blank and lifeless as they're left glaring at the fallen detective behind them.</p><p>“Miss President? ...Labrys, are you alright?” He asks quietly, giving a gentle poke to her face.</p><p>The touch was all she needed to come back to reality, the light returning to her eyes as she looked back at the one poking her. She offers a small smile to reassure him while removing her hand from her face. “I'm fine Akechi-kun. Just spaced out for a second there... C'mon. We haven't tried that hallway yet.” she states before pointing off to another direction.</p><p>Goro nods in agreement. He didn't really have much to say since they're trying to find the person in charge. He may be smaller than most his age, but he could still give a good kick to the shins to give the student council president a hand in combat if the host in charge got physical with them for trying to end this charade.</p><p>From the hallway, they end up in a stairwell of sorts. It leads them down to a lower level, but judging by the shoe locker and doorway, they just made their way back to the entrance. All their efforts to find their way around the school just became fruitless! Goro tries to hide his frustration at the situation behind a slightly strained smile. “Looks like we took a wrong turn. Maybe we should head back up?” he attempts as encouragement until he's cut from his thoughts from his companion.</p><p>“Wait a second. Isn't that...” Labrys spoke up as she gestured her head over to a direction.</p><p>Goro glances over to where she's gesturing to, and gasps at the sight.</p><p>It looks to be some sort of mascot costume of a bear, with someone inside obviously wearing it because of the huge zipper around the neck area. The colors on the costume were extremely loud and obnoxious for him to see, blue, red and white. It hurt his eyes.</p><p>Then Labrys just had to move closer to whoever it was! Goro chose to only hold tighter onto her, distrusting of whoever was in there.</p><p>“Hey, you there! Uh...round thing! What's all this fuzz about?!” She calls out, gaining the attention of the mascot that turns around to face them. It unnerved him how long the bear was staring at Labrys, starstruck with her.</p><p>“Oooooh~! What a pretty stranger, and a cute little tag-along! Do you have some business with me..?” said the bear.</p><p>Their voice irked something at the back of his mind. He had heard it somewhere before, hadn't he? Goro could figure it out later, they had some weirdo in a bear costume to deal with. He gave the stranger the best glare he could from his vantage point in the piggy-back carry, and it seemed to have some effect.</p><p>“...eep--!!”</p><p>He wanted to laugh really bad. Guess that bear didn't expect the student council president to be wandering with someone else, did they?</p><p>“The floor's yours, Miss President.” Goro jokes as he lets Labrys lead the conversation, letting his eyes rest from staring at the horribly color-coordinated bear and zone out for part of the conversation to focus elsewhere. He chose to look around the entrance way they found themselves in. He's sure they hadn't been here before when they left Hanamura-san at the courtyard and entered the school. Was this place constantly changing, or was it like a labyrinth?</p><p>What got him out of that train of thought was a single poster, hung up in the staircase that he spotted from the corner of his eyes. It was an advertisement for the P-1 Grand Prix, like the ones in the courtyard that had featured Yu! This one was simpler than the one that featured Yu, featuring some stupid mascot in weird attire and--!! Wait a moment.</p><p>He tunes himself back into the conversation at hand between Labrys and the bear. It was absolutely derailed at this point, where this bear was claiming the student council president was like a princess, and they'd be her loyal knight in shining armor. Looks like Labrys had made the same conclusion too. This was the host behind this competition!</p><p>This jerk was talking about something regarding a princess, them being the knight, an impostor, and ending it all with a smooch!? <em>Ugh</em>! He's seen enough of this! Goro wasn't going to just stand by and let Labrys get harassed by the person who set this whole thing up and is completely ignoring her concerns!</p><p>“Don't you dare think about it, you stupid bear! Miss President isn't some doll you can fantasize <em>those</em> things with. Did you even think to ask if she needed a knight!?” He states coldly, a glare returning with ease, the bear shocked he had spoken up. But he wasn't done yet. “If you're the one running this thing like all those posters around seem to point to, it's because of you that Narukami and the Investigation Team came in here and put themselves in danger! Just shut this damn competition down and let us out of here!”</p><p>The bear was stunned for a moment, as if they were thinking things over, then became frustrated. “Grrr!! No no no! You aren't paying attention to me at all. That other Teddie is just a fake, pretending to be me! I already told Miss President I'm going to help them shut down this thing by finding the fake. Wait...Is Sensei here too?!” he attempts to say as Goro grows annoyed, resorting to childish tactics.</p><p>“Stop trying to change the subject! Only an impostor would try to deflect onto something else like you are. Just admit your wrongdoings and stop lying!”</p><p>Labrys's expression is unreadable, but she wants to just get back to trying to find the Announcement Room. “Kid...Akechi-kun. I appreciate you worryin' about me, but just drop it. If this...Teddie's willin' to let us pass, we should just g--!!”</p><p>She didn't get to finish that statement as a fourth voice cut through suddenly. A shirtless, athletic looking man in a red cape comes onto the scene, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. He has silver hair, just like Yu, just lighter, and steel colored eyes that are looking coldly at the three of them.</p><p>“….There you are, <em>Labrys</em>.”</p><p>Even the bear looks unnerved by this man showing up, asking the same thing that was likely on all their minds. “Hmmm? Who's this weird looking guy in a cape?”</p><p>Judging by the look in the new addition's eyes, he thought that comment was uncalled for. If they fought, Goro wanted front row seats to watch. This man obviously looked like whatever he was selling with the <em>wandering fighter</em> kind of getup, like he could eat the bear for breakfast, and still want more after.</p><p>Not wanting to fawn over the idea of finally getting to see a fight in the making, there was one thing that stuck out to Goro, he said Labrys. It wasn't particularly odd considering it was the name she gave for their introductions, but it was more of the way the stranger said it. Like they knew something they didn't. While he was still eager to watch the fight in the making, maybe it would be best to step back from the coming conflict.</p><p>Maybe Labrys was feeling the same tense feeling around the air right now. She was blanking out again, her gaze dead, no longer filled with life, her posture becoming stiff.</p><p>He did the same as he did last time, trying to poke her face and get her attention. “Labrys... Miss Pres. We should try finding the announcement room elsewhere now.” Goro attempts to remind, but she's not coming to.</p><p>“Well never mind that. You there...you must be Labrys. I'm Akihiko Sanada, and I've come to retrieve you. I'm sure you'll understand if I say that I'm working with <b>Kirijo</b>. Hey, you there, kid. Come here too. Sorry you got mixed up in all this, but we can get you back outside and reunite you with your family. Finally, you, in the bizarre costume. Are you the one who stole her? Did you kidnap more people other than her?” Says the capped man.</p><p>“<em><b>Labrys</b></em>.... <em><b>Kirijo</b></em>...?” Labrys seems fixated on him after what he said.</p><p>If this man, Sanada, was here to rescue Labrys, there was something wrong with how he was going about this. <em>Retrieve</em>? <em>Working with someone named Kirijo</em>? Goro felt these were all a part of something bigger than just him and Labrys.</p><p>Unexpectedly, the bear mascot made the first move and stepped up to be in front of him and Labrys. “Miss President, he looks dangerous! Stay back!” The bear warned the two of them, the message only making it to Goro as he tried to snap his companion out of it. It seems this Teddie actually did want to protect her, even if it's for superficial reasons.</p><p>Maybe Goro judged them too soon...? After all, why would the host and possible kidnapper want to protect their victim? Were Teddie's words to be trusted, that there was an impostor around in a similar, horridly loud, costume? Whatever the case, he needed to get Labrys back from her daze again.</p><p>“Please, bear, Teddie, whatever! Buy Miss President and I some time. Labrys isn't focusing anymore. That guy, Sanada, I don't trust him. His words <b>did</b> something to her!” Goro whispers before going back to his attempts at refocusing Labrys to the present.</p><p>The bear got the message, letting him know by giving him a nod of acknowledgement as he faced Sanada. “For a rude little kid, you really <b>do</b> seem to care about Labby-chan too. Grr! Alright. I'll do it, but only for Miss President!” Teddie returns quietly, not wanting their uninvited guest to overhear.</p><p>“I-I won't let a half naked kidnapper steal away Miss President!” he banters back, getting Sanada's attention back on the bear instead of him and Labrys.</p><p>“As I expect you would. We're strangers, you don't owe me anything. So, thank you for your help. Oh, and try not to die.” Goro adds, giving Teddie a sly half grin before returning to work with Labrys.</p><p>Their banter goes on for a while, but nothing seems to be working! Labrys is still out of it and he's running out of ideas. When Sanada declares he's had enough of this, Goro's heart drops. He wanted to watch the fight, not be in one if they could avoid it so easily! If only she would respond already.</p><p>He watches as Sanada takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Then, he breathes out and opens his eyes, his gaze fierce, as a large silhouette appears behind him. No! Not one of those weird monsters again!</p><p>Suddenly, the life in Labrys's eyes returns, but they shrink in fear at the sight in front of them. She's back! “W-What's that!?” she questions as Teddie looks back at them.</p><p>“Never fear Miss President! I'll stay true to my word and protect you two!” the bear says, attempting to reassure her. She's puzzled, but not for too long, as Goro gives her ponytail a slight tug for her attention.</p><p>“Labrys, leave this to Teddie! We'll find another way to the announcement room.”</p><p>Labrys only looks annoyed for a second before she puts together the situation and gives him a slight nod. Preparing to run off once again, she smiles back at Teddie. It's not a happy one like the one she gave Hanamura, but just as grateful. “Thanks a bunch, Teddie. See ya' later!”</p><p>And with that, they were off, ignoring the sounds of an intense battle behind them.</p><p>Goro felt sick. Not only from having to leave the bear to such a fate, but because he was proven how weak and powerless he was here. He couldn't help out Labrys if fights were going to end up like that! Even that goofy bear was more helpful than he was...</p><p>He didn't say anything as they ran along, content with just burying his face into her ponytail. Goro missed Yu, and hoped he was safe....wherever he was.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>-&gt; If you enjoy this series and want to read more into it, please subscribe to the <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877584">SERIES ITSELF</a> because subbing to one of the fics of the series won't notify you if another comes out. &lt;- </p><p>Oooh boi. Another big chapter from me! Over 9.5 k! I'm on a roll! For any fans of my other series, A Different Kind of New Game+, I can tell you that Early Reawakening's getting an update, and likely one as long as this chapter! I'm a little beat from two days straight of Arena storyline mash-ups, so time to relax with some Early Reawakening plotting. <b>Again, a big thank you to my beta, because I appreciate you and feel bad whenever I drop large chapters on you.</b></p><p>Alright, first, explanations. Labrys is going to be aware of her name this entire time! However, if someone related to her true origin shows up, like Akihiko, that's when her memories kick in and she blanks out on Goro. That is why she also blanked out seeing Naoto, who's on the case looking for her. Her desire to not hear the truth is what blocked out Goro from hearing anything Naoto said, but she heard everything. She wants to continue pretending, which is why she didn't let him hear nor come into contact with her, hence the invisible wall. Labrys, in this fic, has some control in this dungeon.<br/>
Also, I'm giving Goro the feeling introspection now. How else are we gonna get him to get a persona?! I'm having him slowly question himself and doubt himself to make it so his persona awakening will be different than the usual P4 repression of feelings and thoughts.<br/>
Yu came out to Inaba to have a good time, and now he's honestly feeling attacked. Honestly, I can't blame him. He came back home with news to share with everyone, but then life throws another crisis at him that's trying to make him doubt his bonds. On top of that, there are people in peril. He is tired and going to throw hands when he finds the General. With his segment, I wanted to end it off with him aware of the situation, and feeling balanced again rather than spiteful, so I brought out the partner card!</p><p>That's all from me for now! I'll see you guys again in the next chapter, "Shadow of Myself"!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Shadow of Myself</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As Yu progresses through the tournament, feeling the stress of it all starting to finally take a toll on him, Goro manages to find himself in the crossfire between a strange encounter with a mysterious, young woman dressed in blue, and Labrys. So much for a vacation...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
<b>Beta'd by DrNekuAdano</b>
</p><p>
 <i><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877584">-&gt;Please read the series chronologically for more context about this AU&lt;-</a> and enjoy!</i>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ack!”</p><p>Yu had been walking around for sometime, attempting to find the Announcement Room after getting the hint from Yosuke earlier. He kept on that path until he suddenly felt himself crash into another invisible wall.</p><p>“I'm getting real sick of these things...” The silver-haired teen muttered to himself before realizing something.</p><p>“Wait. These usually only start coming up more if I'm being led somewhere. Does that mean I'm walking into another fight?” He muses, taking a moment to reach out and touch the wall, feeling the solid surface despite there visibly being nothing there. “Well, it's better than wandering around. I'm losing time; the sooner I finish off this competition, the sooner I can get Nanako and Goro out of here!”</p><p>Yu began to follow alongside the invisible wall through the empty hallway he had stumbled into, an attempt to find some sort of indication of the Announcement Room or his next fight. This was the first time a wall had been blocking a path ahead of him and instead was ushering him off somewhere rather than trapping him. Did something change?</p><p>Soon enough, his last ditch effort was rewarded as he reached a dead end of the wall, blocking off the rest of the hallway. Across from him laid an open classroom door, where he could bypass the invisible wall by cutting through the classroom as a shortcut and come out through the other side of the invisible wall and continue through the hallway. However his track record with entering rooms at 0:1, with 0 being the amount of safe rooms he's found and 1 being the amount of fights he's had in a room like this instead.</p><p>“Guess I found where my next fight is...” Yu mumbled before checking over himself, hands over his katana's sheath. He took a deep breath in, then out. “<em>Whatever they might say, don't take it to heart. This place warps the truth..</em>” he whispered as a reassurance to himself and his bond and as a reminder to avoid what happened with Yosuke.</p><p>Yu stepped inside.</p><p>There's a quick breeze right behind him. When he moves to investigate it, all he finds is another invisible wall blocking off the doorway, meaning no way to escape.</p><p>The silver-haired teen sighed. “That's 0:2 now..” he muttered before he hears something familiar running through his senses.</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>“....-pai.... Senpai! Can you hear me!? Please, answer me!”</b>
  </em>
</p><p>Yu became still from the echoing sound in his head. “--!! That voice...”</p><p>It was Rise's! Not the gleeful voice of Risette watching the P-1 Grand Prix event as the commentator using the intercoms of the fake Yasogami High. This sounded like the real Rise, who was most likely utilizing the abilities of her navigational persona, Kanzeon, to speak to him directly. She sounded extremely distressed, so Yu didn't hesitate to call out back to her, even if it gave away his position to <em>General </em>Teddie.</p><p>“Rise, is that you!? The real one?”</p><p>There's a sigh of relief from the other end of the telepathic communication. “<em><b>Thank goodness... I've been here all alone ever since that weird fake Teddie captured me... Then, when I finally felt you guys here, you were all fighting each other.</b></em>” she explained as Yu nods along.</p><p>He finds himself relieved for a different reason. Her voice, her <b>real</b> voice, was so much more different than the rude and insensitive voice of Risette, who had been commentating everything here. Then...just like <em>General </em>Teddie, that <em>Risette</em>, was just another fake trying to mislead them into self-destruction.</p><p>The one he was calling out to was the true Rise that he knew, and just like the three victims in here, he needed to get her and the rest of the Investigation Team out of here.</p><p>“Rise, where are you right now? Can you locate where I am?”</p><p>He waits anxiously as another reply comes in moments later, their connection starting to come apart.</p><p>
  <em>
    <b> “I'm sorry, but there's not much time! Kanzeon reverted back to Himiko in this weird place, so it's harder to keep this up... This dungeon is just too much. I think I'm stuck in the Announcement Room.”</b>
  </em>
</p><p>Another round of static and fuzz begins to further indicate their severing connection. He catches the sound of something or someone else entering the area she's in.</p><p>
  <em>
    <b> “P-Please Senapi, you have to hurry!”</b>
  </em>
</p><p>Faint steps became more clear in their call together as Rise gasps in fear, the figure likely moving in closer to her.</p><p>
  <em>
    <b> “If you don't he'll—AAAH!!”</b>
  </em>
</p><p>Their connection is cut completely after Rise's scream suddenly echoed out through their conversation. He tightened his fists in anger. His friend, something happened to her to make her drop the telepathic call.</p><p>“Rise... Rise, what happened?! RISE!” He cries out to the wind. There's no response back. Whatever happened over where she is has completely cut off the limited communication with her.</p><p>Yu can feel his heart racing as he fears the worst. “She's in danger and worse, she's stuck with the enemy if that scream meant anything...”</p><p>There was one thing certain now.</p><p>“I have to get to the Announcement Room, <b>fast</b>.” he states resoundingly before he felt something touch at his shoulder, presumably someone else who also had wandered into this room.</p><p>“...Pardon me for interrupting you as you are lost in thought.”</p><p>Yu gasped as his hand reached back to the katana sheath, ready to engage as he comes face to face with the new arrival. His fears had gotten the best of him and distracted him from paying attention to his surroundings. Now what stands before him is what appears to be a young woman, most likely a foreigner as she had bright blonder hair and piercing sky blue eyes. There's something more to her though. Her voice sounded human, but the rest of her would say otherwise as she has a metallic body and framework, with mechanical joints and parts jutting out at some areas.</p><p>Who or whatever she is; she was surprised to see him move and ready to pull out a weapon on her. However, there is something else in her expression. Perhaps it was concern considering she did pull him away from his afterthoughts from the cut conversation with Rise.</p><p>“I didn't mean to startle you.” the metallic woman began as Yu finds himself a bit overwhelmed to respond properly.</p><p>“You're--!! ...umm...” he stutters out as he tries to gain his bearings.</p><p>It seems the metallic woman seems to understand his confusion towards her as she bows slightly to him. “It's nice to meet you. My name is Aigis. And no, I am not human.”</p><p>She appears to scan his appearance as she continues. “You are the one from the introduction video, listed as the <em><b>Sibling-Complex Kingpin of Steel</b></em>, Narukami-san. Correct?”</p><p>Her question to try and confirm his identity caught him off-guard. Suddenly the name he was given doesn't seem so funny anymore when its said from a complete stranger and not his partner, as he feels his cheeks begin to burn in embarrassment. “.<em>..please just put me out my misery right here!</em>” he screamed internally before he mentally rewound her sudden introduction back to himself and caught something else about it. “<em>She said she </em><em><b>wasn't</b></em><em> human.</em>”</p><p>Yu didn't want to give away that he was still processing that bit of information about Aigis, so he decides to instead just correct her about the weird title she listed him as. Resigning to his fate, he sighed and started to respond back to her, hands moving to his side rather than towards his katana. “Nanako and Goro are important to me, but calling it a complex is over-exaggerating things.”</p><p>The teen realizes his careless mistake as he finishes playing off the weird title as just an exaggeration. Shit. He shouldn't have blurted out the names of the two people he's trying to save here to a complete stranger! All he can hope for is that he can steer the remainder of this conversation with Aigis away from the “Nanako and Goro” problem he's dealing with right now.</p><p>Yu cleared his throat before attempting to begin again, a calm and cool facade washing over him as he tries to take back this conversation. “Aigis-san was it? What are you doing here in this place? As far as I know, my friends and I were the only ones here because of this weird P-1 Grand Prix...” he asks before trailing off. It was a half-truth, as they did believe they were the only ones here other than the three additional victims and they were being forced to participate, but omitted the fact that they purposely came here to investigate the P-1 Grand Prix because it had appeared on the Midnight Channel.</p><p>Aigis's expression becomes more serious when mentioning what she was apparently here for. “Our primary objective is the destruction of Shadows...but we have come to this world on a different mission.”</p><p>“<em>So it wouldn't be too far off to assume she can use a Persona too then...</em>” Yu ponders momentarily before responding. “The destruction of Shadows? Then, does that mean..?”</p><p>She nods silently as a hand moves to where her heart would be. “Yes. I have a Persona as well. Though my body is a machine, Personas are the strength of the heart.” Aigis answers with a fond smile.</p><p>Her response at least cleared up a few things. Firstly, she confirmed she's a machine, and a highly advanced one at that! He's not sure where she may have come from, but whoever built her must be very secretive about her existence. Technology was advancing, but Yu never imagined it would be this fast! Then again, he and his friends jumped into TVs to fight Shadows in a different world for over a year, so he has no room to judge...</p><p>Next, she had a Persona. The teen was a bit relieved if nothing else at that fact. After all, Teddie was a shadow and developed a Persona, so it wouldn't be farfetched for a cyborg or android to have developed one as well, and considering the way she had said it probably meant she has gone through quite a lot with it to learn that truth of Personas. If Yu wasn't stuck in some awful fighting tournament, trying to get his loved ones and the victim out of here, he would love to learn more about this mechanical young woman!</p><p>With that said, Yu pushed away his desires to speak with Aigis more to instead focus back on the pressing matters at hand. “If you weren't dragged in here for the tournament, what is <em>your mission </em>then?”</p><p>Aigis opens her mouth, ready to explain until the monitor in the classroom began to flicker with life.</p><p>“Damn it...It's him. The <em>fake</em>.” Yu mutters as the static on the TV clears and <em>General</em> Teddie is shown, waiting with a malicious grin.</p><p>“The...fake?” Aigis questioned silently as their attention is dragged to the costumed bear on screen.</p><p>[<em>“Aaahaa! So that's where you've gotten off to Sensei. I've been looking all over for you!”</em>]</p><p>Yu grit his teeth and bears with it no matter how much this fake is pissing him off. So he had been right. The fake had been looking for him, and finally got the chance to after Rise's call was cut short.</p><p>[“<em>Oooh...who's the honey? Were you in the middle of trying to score with her?</em>”]</p><p>He couldn't bite his tongue any longer; any more and he might just seriously injure himself. This fake is aggravating him to no end! Not only has it forced Yu and his friends into fights with each other through distorted communication, but the way it continued to use the guise of his friend, Teddie, a shadow who overcame so much to find his humanity in friends and live among them, was unforgivable.</p><p>Yu hides none of his displeasure as he speaks out to<em> General </em>Teddie, who had so rudely interrupted them. “As if you didn't know. You're the one who lured us both<b> here</b>.”</p><p>[“<em>Oh my, did you figure it out? I didn't have a choice after those guys decided on their own to horn in on the fun.</em>”]</p><p>“<em>So Aigis had likely came in with her own team? She did mention “we” earlier...</em>” The teen wondered before thinking back to their conversation earlier. The “we” she mentioned earlier must be the ones causing the <em>General</em> so much trouble, and he'd be delighted to help if he wasn't on his own mission.</p><p>[“<em>You're a bright boy, Sensei. You know what's coming next, don't you?</em>”]</p><p>Those words made him flinch as he avoided the gaze of the bear on the monitor, smiling wickedly as the feed cuts out. He can feel Aigis's confusion as she looks back at him. Yes, he did know what was next, but he wished it wasn't so.</p><p>“Sorry about this...” Yu whispers an apology to the robotic woman as his hands begin to move towards his katana once more. “Do you know the rule of this tournament?”</p><p>Aigis seems to understand what's going to happen as well and backs off to her side of the room, seemingly readying herself for combat. “Only the victor of each match may move on, yes?” she answers grimly before raising her hands towards him, the tips of her fingers revealing themselves as gun barrels.</p><p>The teen nodded silently at her, his katana pulled out and at the ready to engage. Bullets vs. the sword, it would be tough, but he had to do this. For Nanako, Goro, all his friends that are trapped in here! “I have nothing against you...but I'm in a hurry for my own reasons.” he states firmly.</p><p>“Neither of us, in other words, can back down. Then there should be no hard feelings.” she responds back in a straightforward manner, the machinery inside of her beginning to whirl to life.</p><p>Yu hates this. Fighting is friends was tough enough, but finding it in himself to fight someone he's never met before is even more so. The worst of it is that her appearance means that whatever is going on may be far beyond what the Investigation Team can handle. Considering the fact he was able to actually talk with Aigis rather than hear a distorted version of her meant that the <em>General</em> didn't care to scramble their communication. There was a chance he could at least get some answers to what she was doing here now that <em>General</em> Teddie was gone.</p><p>“<em>Maybe we could talk it out?</em>” Yu ponders with hesitation, wanting to put that thought into action as his hand wavers over his hold on the katana. Aigis seems to frown at that.</p><p>“That will not do. We will speak more of this after one of us wins.” she called out quickly before firing a warning shot.</p><p>It was enough to shock Yu back to the present and reminds him of something important. Aigis was right. They could talk later. Right now, even if they talked it out, they'd both be trapped. A fight was the only way either of them would be able to leave and proceed. Her “kindness” was to hold back her problems until this issue was resolved, to remain a stranger rather than become known.</p><p>“Right. I'm not going to give up what I'm fighting for either.” Yu muttered as he returned to his own fighting stance as his sword began to crackle with electricity, small sparks beginning to crackle in the air.</p><p>With that show of resolution, Aigis smiled back softly at him, content that he was willing to continue. However, the smile does not last long, as her expression changes to one more fierce and suited for a fight. “Indeed. Let us do battle, and do not hold back!” she returned before she moves in to engage with him, signaling that the match has begun.</p><p>-</p><p>Goro and Miss President had been walking through the school-themed labyrinth for sometime now. He felt himself becoming more fatigued the longer he was in there, and it seemed Labrys was having her own moments too, where she'd stop and daze out momentarily. It never lasted that long, but it was still enough for Goro to worry about her since he had only just explained to her that this school wasn't the real Yasogami High and they were trapped here. After all, they're still in this together, and it was for the best to pool their information until it came time to find an exit.</p><p>Right now, they were just idly chatting, trying to pass the time as they looked through room after room, searching diligently for this mysterious Announcement Room.</p><p>“Labrys, once we get out of here, do you have any friends you look forward to seeing?” Goro started quietly before hearing silence from her. She hadn't stopped moving, so maybe she just didn't understand why he was curious. “...I think I may have someone waiting for me out there. She's a little girl named Nanako, and she's presumably Yu's little sister.” he began with a sigh before thinking back to the Dojima family who opened their home to him, back to the little girl who so openly welcomed him and the bright smile she had when she received permission to call Goro her brother as well.</p><p>With that, Goro finds the strength to continue speaking. “...even though she doesn't know me much, she wanted to get along with me because we're both important to the person who introduced us to each other. Even then, she had been eager to call me her big brother...to welcome me, <em>like family</em>. T-That's why I can't let her down! This tournament is putting Narukami in danger, and she wanted us to both come back safe.” he explains, trailing off with finality. “And I share that sentiment...”</p><p>The student council president that he's piggy-back riding on actually seems to take to the question. “I...I think I do too. I don't remember her name much since I've been stuck in here for a while, but I know that she and I were the best of friends, almost like sisters. She'd always want to show me all sorts of things, but I didn't understand them all the time. Ooh! She also had this lil' pup that she called Snowy.” she recalls with excitement before trailing off. “I....I was close to the both of 'em until I ended up in here.” she states as she tightens her fist in frustration.</p><p>Then suddenly, Labrys slammed her tightened fist against a wall, startling Goro for a moment. “I...I wanna stop this too 'cause I promised myself I'd find her! Then, the three of us could all hang out again and go to the ocean!” she muttered out, choking back a few sobs.</p><p>There, he takes notice of how emotional she's become from the faint but powerful remnants of those friends in her mind. They must have meant so much to her if she's that upset about not remembering them properly. He doesn't understand her pain, but he can at least sympathize with her.</p><p>Goro wasn't sure how to approach someone so emotional, but he found himself a bit more steady once he asks himself: “<em>What would Yu do?</em>” He gives a gentle tug at her sleeve to get her attention, then offers her a small but resolute smile when she looks up at him. “Labrys, don't worry. We'll find the jerk responsible for this, and shut down this thing. Then we can all go home, <em>together</em>.”</p><p>Labrys looks up at him, her firery red eyes filled with frustration and sadness from her scrambled memories. “Y-You really mean it?” she shakily asks before Goro nods.</p><p>“I do, because I promised myself one thing too, and that was to never give up my happiness <b>again</b>.” he whispers before holding out one hand to her, all his fingers pressed into a small fist, except for the pinky, which was held out. “I-It's childish, but let's swear on it Labrys!” he huffs, his cheeks flushing a gentle red in slight embarrassment that he's doing something as silly as a pinky promise.</p><p>Her tears seem to finally stop. In fact, her upset expression fades away as a more amused expression eases in, cracking a smile at his blushing. She moves one hand over to where Goro is holding out his own for the promise, the other hand wiping away the last of her tears. “Yeah... I can do that, but I'm gonna hold ya to it then Akechi-kun.” she teases as his cheeks burn brighter at the remark, intertwining their pinkies to swear on that promise.</p><p>“T-Then it's settled. We're making it out of here, <b>together</b>!” Goro shouts before a cry of anguish rings out across the hallway, ending the peaceful moment between the two.</p><p>“<em><b>--ISE!”</b></em></p><p>Goro's eyes shrink. That voice...he recognizes it. But, could it really be him? Was it really going to be that simple?!</p><p>Labrys doesn't appear to be freezing up either, so this would be the perfect time to ask to move forward on their search for the Announcement Room. In fact, she's fully aware of everything right now, even slightly startled by the unfamiliar and panicked voice they just heard.</p><p>“Labrys, I know it's not the Announcement Room, but....I think that might have been Yu, the person I've been looking for.” He suggests quietly to break the silence.</p><p>He watches as the student council president gasps in surprise. “H-Huh?! You think that scream came from Narukami-san?”</p><p>The preteen answered her question with a slight nod before he shifted around a bit in the piggy-back carry to point down the corridor of the hallway. “It's distant, but it sounds like it came in that direction. There's probably another split in the hallway coming up down there, but I'd really like to find him.” he deduces before offering a slight grin. “If we have him with us when we go face down the leader of this event in the Announcement Room, then we can definitely stop the perpetrator right in their tracks!” Goro adds confidently, thinking that the addition of his guardian would certainly bolster their efforts.</p><p>“Wait..ain't he a part of this thing too though?” She wonders openly before Goro fusses at the accusation.</p><p>“No! He didn't consent to being a part of this at all.” He answers, slightly miffed at the insinuation that Yu would willing take part in this P-1 Grand Prix. Goro sighed and pulled back his hand to twirl at one of his shorter bangs as he pondered over Narukami's presumed circumstances. “<em>Yu must have been forced into participating...but with </em><em><b>what</b></em><em> is the question?</em>”</p><p>They don't have much time, so Goro opts to leave that thought for later. He could interrogate Yu later once this whole thing was over with. “Never mind that too much Labrys. Let's go find him and then get the answers out for ourselves!” he encourages.</p><p>His enthusiasm seems to do the trick as Labrys nods in agreement. “Yeah... Alright! We'll find Narukami-san, then find the Announcement Room.” she stated adamantly before starting to walk in the direction they had heard the shout come from earlier.</p><p>Sure enough, they eventually reach a crossroads in the hallways, the path splitting off to the left or the right. Neither of them are sure of which way they should go, at least until Miss President perks up at the sight of something.</p><p>“Wait a minute... I recognize that way!” She starts, pointing down the right corridor. “My classroom used to be down there. And if your friend is the same year as me..” she trails off, letting Goro put the pieces together before they both answer simultaneously.</p><p>“Then there's a chance he's down that hallway.”<br/>
“Then we might find 'im back there!”</p><p>Goro and Labrys grin at each other from the revelation before she begins to lead them through it. The preteen seemed preoccupied in listening in carefully for any sounds of a fight in progress while Labrys reminisced about her foggy memories in the school. For now, it seemed like there was hope in their promise after all, to escape and get back to the real world.</p><p>“Class 2-2! That's the one!” Labrys calls out happily as they slowly approach the end of the hallway, leading them over to three classroom doors. Goro's certainly does hear some sort of commotion in there, but it's muffled. He's convinced himself that Yu must be there from the sounds in there, so he'll let Labrys take over. He changes positions to slide off her back and stand on his own two feet again so she could be free to move. After all, she needed free hands to open the door after all.</p><p>“Go on. I'm right here at your side.”</p><p>With that, Labrys grins as she grabs hold of the door handle, then tries pushing it to open the door. After a few test tugs, it doesn't appear to move.</p><p>“Hey. What gives? This thing should be openin' by now!” Labrys huffed in annoyance, moving to pull the door again with much force. Once again, the door doesn't move.</p><p>He can see her higher spirits start to dissipate, so he offered an excuse to why it might be locked. “Maybe they locked it themselves to keep bystanders away?” he suggested before attempting to open the door himself. It doesn't budge the slightest bit with him. They were locked out.</p><p>“If they locked it... then I might just be able to get the keys! Yeah, they'd be back at the student council room, and it's nearby too!” Labrys plans as she takes hold of Goro's hand and points past the classrooms over to a walkway. “That's the way to the Practice Building. The student council room is over there. Once we get that key, we'll come right back and get your friend, okay?” she assures before Goro nods quietly, pouting slightly as it looks like he and Yu would stay separated just a bit longer.</p><p>Once she receives that nod of acknowledgment, she walks with Goro down the hall and through the walkway, ignoring the view of the courtyard across from them, where a fight is breaking out. Goro hesitates with his pace for a moment, wishing to glance over it, but instead chooses to keep up with his companion. Once they're across, Labrys leads them right into the Student Council office, where the doors are wide open.</p><p>“Huh...that's funny.” she mutters quietly as Goro raises an eyebrow at her statement.</p><p>“Is something wrong?”</p><p>“Kinda. I mean, I remember closing the door and lockin' up the room before all these shenanigans started happening. Only the president and vice-president have keys to this room, so why is it...?” she starts before shaking her head with a sigh. “Never mind... I'll lock it up again when we leave. Now c'mon, let's get that key and get back to Class 2-2.” The student council president encourages before she steps inside the room.</p><p>Goro feels unease about the coincidence, treading behind her to enter the room, nervous about whatever they may be walking into. “...Right.”</p><p>Soon enough, Labrys gasped in delight as she spotted the key cabinet, walking over to it with pep in each step. Goro trails behind her, cautiously glancing around the room before he finally spots something, or rather someone, out of place. He tries to examine the stranger's appearance as he hesitates on alerting Labrys.</p><p>They appear to be a woman, standing at the other end of the room, resting against the wall, looking amused. She doesn't seem to be wearing any variant of the Yasogami High uniform, signaling that she's truly an outsider. Her own attire is made up of a one-piece dress, gloves, and a small hat sitting atop her head, all in a deep shade of blue. While she was up against the wall, she seems to have been reading an odd weathered book until she noticed someone else entered the room. What Goro seems most drawn to are her features. The woman isn't just beautiful, but rather its like she's perfect. Her short, straight hair reminds him of pearls, silvery and glistening in the light, while her piercing golden eyes seem to stare straight through him. She looks powerful, and worst, <em>intimidating</em>.</p><p>His hand unconsciously moves to tug the bottom of Labrys's uniform top to get the student council president's attention, his gaze still drawn on the mysterious woman before them. “...m....Miss President?”</p><p>“Huh? What is Akechi-kun?” she asks as he still hears her rummaging around for the key. Labrys didn't turn yet at the call for attention, intently focused on finding the keys for Room 2-2.</p><p>The woman across from them doesn't make much of a move, only tilting her head slightly at the preteen's distress and shutting her book.</p><p>Labrys hums quietly to herself, gasping at the sight of something, suggesting that she's found the key, but is still unaware of the intruder in the student council room. Gulping down his fears, Goro finds it in himself to speak once more. “Someone else is here.” he warned.</p><p>“<em><b>What!?</b></em>” That makes Labrys spring into action as she tosses Goro the key she just found and moves to stand in front of him in a defensive stance, making good on the promise to protect him. “Excuse me. You got some reason to be in this room? This is the <em>student council's office</em>. You can't just barge in here!” she states in an unwavering manner, standing tall to showcase her position of authority as the student council president.</p><p>The woman doesn't flinch at all from Labrys's stern warning, instead, she seems to laugh to herself before she stands up straight and holds the old-looking book under one of her arms. “Forgive me if my words appear harsh, but I do not believe you can ask such a thing from me. After all, this is not how things should be.” she returns back nonchalantly.</p><p>Labrys looks bothered with the response, throwing her off from her confident display, but Goro feels rather nervous under this woman's gaze. “<em>She's aware this is another world then.</em>” he thinks as he waits behind the student council president. There's something else about her words though that seems to bother him, was she really referring to the school, or...them?</p><p>“And who are you to say that?!” Labrys fumes, appearing to become more agitated before Goro moves to touch one of her arms to whisper to her.</p><p>“Labrys...She's strong. I-I don't know how to explain it, but try to avoid much more confrontation. After all, we are stuck in a fighting tournament, and we've been very lucky that we haven't been forced into one <b>yet</b>.” He offered before backing up behind her once more, stating an open reminder of their situation. It seems she takes it to heart and takes a deep breath to calm back down.</p><p>The woman Labrys was speaking to seems to be waiting patiently for Goro to finish his piece before moving to answer her question, looking at her plainly. “I am a wanderer who only stopped here because I sensed great power gathering. It appears this place has been caught in quite a fracas.” she states with a sigh, glancing around the room briefly with curiosity.</p><p>This woman doesn't seem to have any bad intentions at her surface level, so Goro assumes it's alright for him to speak as well. He peeks out from Labrys's side and begins to speak in a firm voice. “Are you another innocent bystander in this event as well? Miss President and I seem to have been caught in the crossfire here.”</p><p>Labrys gasps at Goro as he shuffles behind her to speak. “<em>Akechi-kun, what are ya' doing? I told you, leave this kind of thing to me.</em>” she hisses before repositioning her stance to shield Goro behind her once more, leaving the preteen annoyed.</p><p>“Oh my. This is quite a surprise.” Hums the mysterious stranger before she tilts her head to the side, attempting to see if she can spot the preteen again, but Labrys doesn't give her a chance to. “You there, little one.” she calls before Goro peeks out a bit, silently pointing towards himself to non-verbally ask if he's the one she's referring to. The woman smiles at the acknowledgment.</p><p>“Yes you. I see you've taken a leap into the unknown, driven by purpose, and have continued to hold it close. Despite your fears and reservations, do you plan to keep pushing forward?” She questioned, moving closer by a few more steps, Labrys tensing up from her coming closer.</p><p>Goro understood that there's more that the woman is hinting at with her cryptic question, but he decides to still grace her with an answer since she was polite enough to notice him. “Yes, I do.”</p><p>The woman offers a slight smile at the short declaration. “Very well, I look forward your efforts come to fruition.” the blue dressed woman answered with grace before focusing back up at Labrys. “As for you, I only can offer a word of advice. If you continue to avert your eyes from everything, I think it will have an impact in your life quite soon.”</p><p>He can feel Labrys tremble from what appears to be a warning of sorts rather than advice.</p><p>“M-My life?” the student council president stutters out. She's shocked presumably from the woman's statement or perhaps by some other internal affair, but either way Goro can't be sure.</p><p>“What you choose will be up to you. I imagine your time to make a decision is coming soon as the factors that were once holding back your ability to make the right choices are slowly starting to breakdown.” The woman added as she began to close the gap between them slowly, taking advantage of Labrys's hesitance.</p><p>Labrys seems to return from her daze when the woman is just a few feet in front of them, standing at attention as she looks upon the student council president with sympathetic anger.</p><p>“I couldn't bring myself to just stand by and watch as you lost your life before my own eyes... This is why I have been waiting here to give you one last chance.” she affirms before she takes the thick book from other arm and opens it up, the pages seemingly flipping on their own before a bright light began to engulf the room from it. Soon, its becomes too strong for both him and Labrys to continue looking.</p><p>The preteen had unknowingly stepped back from Labrys's side the intensity of the light and shields his eyes with his hand. When it finally begins to settle down, Goro first notices that he's now up against the wall instead of at Labrys's side. The second thing he takes note of is that there's <b>something else</b> that's standing where Labrys should have been, something metallic and not human...</p><p>“-!!!” Goro's eyes shrink at the sight, hands moving to cover his mouth to cover his apprehensive gasp of surprise. In his shock, he trips backwards and ends up on the ground, his heart racing as he takes in the altered surroundings. “<em>T-That light...it did something!</em>” he murmurs to himself as he sits up to restlessly watches the events unfold before him.</p><p>The metallic being takes a moment to gather their bearings before moving to examine their arm. “H-Huh? What is this?!” they exclaim before beginning to start trying to tug and tear at the plates making up the arm. “<em>Rrrrrggghhh</em>! I-It won't come off!” they state with confusion before they take an aggressive stance towards the blue-dressed woman. “What gives!?”</p><p>As Goro's watching the android breakdown at the sight of themselves, he's come to the conclusion that they must be Labrys. Their voice sounds similar to hears, and after taking a second look back at the robot, he realizes their appearance is eerily similar to how Labrys had been dressed just moments ago.</p><p>“<em>But I don't get it...That light, if it changed her, why wasn't I affected?</em>” he wonders, continuing to view this metallic version of Labrys checking over herself in a distressed manner.</p><p>Soon, Labrys fell to her knees, gripping at her head, as if she's in pain over something. That's when Goro decides to move, scooting over to her side to speak to her quietly, and at least comfort her in someway with his presence.</p><p>“...Labrys, Miss President. Is that you?” he asks in a quiet whisper as if not to startle her. She looks over to him, doubt, fear and turmoil all visible in her shaky eyes, but she doesn't get the chance to respond as the mysterious woman shuts the book in a loud manner.</p><p>“Now then.”</p><p>The woman hopped back a short distance and arms herself with the tome in her hands. With a flick of her wrist, a flurry of cards materialize from thin air as the book glows softly. She then snaps and the cards are now swirling around her as she takes a defensive stance. “I will be your opponent for a short while. During that time, why not think back about who you are?” she warns, her expression becoming much more serious.</p><p>“Huh? My opponent?” Labrys stutters out in surprise before looking back at Goro, who's right at her side, in disarray from the statement. She takes a deep breath in then attempts to stand up once more.</p><p>“..Akechi-kun, stand back.” The student council president ordered sternly, not looking back as she held her metal hand out.</p><p>“But Laby--!!” Goro starts before he watches her hold out her hand. As if on command, the large object attached at her back flies out and extends, forming a large axe, which she grabs from free-fall, timing its landing perfectly. The preteen doesn't find much room to argue after that display.</p><p>Even though he's upset about it, Goro follows through with her plea, finding a protected spot in the room near the meeting table. Once he's positioned there to spectate, he feels a short burst of wind blow right against him. He tries to inspect what happened there, but finds an invisible wall had come down around him, as if to further protect him. “<em>What the-?! T-This wasn't here just a few moments ago! What's going on?!</em>” He internally exclaims as he presses his hands against the wall, gripping on them as he watches with anticipation and guilt.</p><p>“...<em>I'm helpless once again... Nothing more than a burden...and this time, Labrys is paying the price...</em>” He considers as he looks at Labrys, who's staring back at him, tension in her stance as she prepares for an unwarranted fight. “<em>..But..</em>”</p><p>Goro can do nothing but watch and pray for her success, which causes him to call out to her, if only to invigorate her for fighting for the two of them. “For both our sakes Labrys, <b>kick her ass</b>!” he shouts, Labrys looking surprised for a moment, then nodding with determination as she grips down on her axe and runs up to take the first move.</p><p>“Haaaaah!!!”</p><p>The blue clad woman smiles and dodges the strike with a simple sidestep. “And away we go~”</p><p>-</p><p>“<b>Persona</b>!”</p><p>Yu feels the tarot card crush against his hands, as flames build. Pulling Izanagi from the depths of his soul, he gives the command to help him land their Cruciform Cutter attack as he moves in for an electricity filled swift strike with his katana. Upon impact against Aigis, he thrusts the weapon forward, pushing her into position, where Izanagi stood above her, diving down on her with a plunging downward slash, sparks erupting onto their opponent as Yu takes a precarious step back in the case she gets back up.</p><p>“<em>Severe impact</em>! Shutting down...”</p><p>That was it. He won.</p><p>Yu feels Izanagi retreat back to the safety of his heart, gasping for air. It didn't feel like a victory in the slightest.</p><p>Aigis's untold mission, or Yu's urgent rescue efforts, both equally important, but only one goal could prevail in the end. They agreed to hold nothing back in order to fight for their causes, and this time, Yu managed to come out on top.</p><p>Sparks crackle mildly in the air. The smokey scent of gunpowder permeating in the air. The classroom they had engaged in is in absolute disarray with chairs and tables slashed and shot through, the chalkboard in front burnt from taking the secondhand strain of their attacks, with ash lining the floor in some areas in the classroom, left behind from items that were completely destroyed.</p><p>“<em>Guess we really didn't hold back...</em>” Yu muses as he takes in the sight of all the damage they caused, leaning to rest against a slanted desk to help catch his breath. Gray eyes glance back over to the fallen form of Aigis, who hasn't appeared to come back online since his attack. He hopes to reach out and check on her until he hears a familiar television screen flicker back to life in the classroom.</p><p>“<em><b>Tch..!</b></em><em> Should have aimed for that one during the fight...</em>” he muttered under his breath as <em>General</em> Teddie appeared once more, surprised at the conclusion of the fight and the chaos it caused.</p><p>[“<em>Wowza! Now that's the Sensei I know! That hunk of junk was no match for you!</em>”]</p><p>Yu narrows his eyes at the attempt of a compliment. Aigis is far more than just a machine, and he witnessed that first hand, both before and during the fight. “<em>That fake has no right to say such a thing.</em>” he states internally, the teen's face not showing any of his anger as he stares at the screen in neutral displeasure.</p><p>[“<em>Heeheehee! Serves you right! Keep suffering. Friend against friend, beating the heck out of each other!</em>”]</p><p>His left eye twitches, electric beginning to build in the palm of his hand as he's unconsciously tapping into Izanagi's powers. All he wants to do is destroy that damn television, but he can't let the <em>fake</em> know that he's aware of this charade. Yu settles with glaring down at the fake on screen and speaking out to him, all while pretending to play into this game. “I don't know why you're making us fight, but it's pointless... We aren't fighting because we hate each other. The reason we can fight is because we respect and trust each other!” he shouts up to it.</p><p>What he gets in return is a low growl from the <em>General</em>, full of hate. Yu tries not to smirk victoriously at the sound, because it only proves his point that this <em>fake</em> isn't Teddie at all. Hate was the last thing Teddie was capable of.</p><p>[“<em>Stupid... You're such a dumbass! What's with you?!</em>”]</p><p>The video and audio begin to distort at that outburst, the <em>General</em> letting his hate seep through the facade he's trying to play at. Through it all, Yu notices something odd on-screen.</p><p>“<em>....yellow eyes?</em>” he questions to himself, noticing it only for a split second as the television signal further distorts itself.</p><p>[“<em>Respect? Trust? So what if you don't hate each other, you're not like me! I was forced to fight against my own will...! I destroyed them </em><em><b>all</b></em><em> with my </em><em><b>own</b></em><em> hands!</em>”]</p><p>The voice spitting out those bitter remarks no longer matches Teddie's own. It remains distorted, but sounds young and feminine. “<em>Definitely a Shadow.</em>” Yu confirms as he continues observing the shadow's live outburst towards him.</p><p>The shadow turns away from the screen, trying to hide its rage.</p><p>[“<em>You should </em><em><b>all</b></em><em> have to go through the hell I suffered... See how it feels to destroy everyone you call a </em><em><b>friend</b></em><em>! If I had known this was gonna happen, I would have made it so you had to </em><em><b>kill</b></em><em> your opponent to move on!</em>”]</p><p>“<em>Destroy everyone..? Kill your opponent..? This Shadow...whoever it belongs to is grieving from their past actions if their Shadow is rampaging this badly... This hell, it was probably forced onto them as well, causing their Shadow to seek to do the same to bystanders in the Midnight Channel...</em>” Yu deduces before wincing at one small detail. “<em>If all of this is true, I don't know how they'll be able to accept their shadow without a fight...</em>”</p><p>“That's enough. <b>Firing</b>!”</p><p>A string of bullets whizzes past Yu and are aimed right at the screen. Upon impact of the first bullet, the screen begins to crack. The bullets after it completely help to assist in shattering the screen.</p><p>The teen lets out a breath he wasn't even aware he was holding. “<em><b>Oh thank god</b></em><em>. I didn't know how much longer I could watch without saying something else that would probably piss that shadow off.</em>” He screams internally as the glass of the screen clatters onto the floor.</p><p>With the television fully destroyed, Yu sighed in relief, believing he has gathered enough information for now, then turned back to his savior. Aigis was back up on her feet.....<em>somewhat</em>.</p><p>She was using one arm to hold up the other arm she had just used to fire with, her legs bent against each other, shaky at best, while her body seemed to be smoking and sparking a bit still. Aigis was in pretty bad shape, but she was at least conscious now. She looked like she was about to say something before her legs gave out from under her.</p><p>“Ah..!”</p><p>Yu moves into action to at least help her continue standing, propping her up against his side, holding her up with one of her arms wrapped around his shoulder.</p><p>“I've got you.” he assures, leaving her rather surprised for a moment just before she offers a small but understanding smile.</p><p>“You are very kind. We've only just met, and yet you're worried about a machine like myself.” she states softly, looking down at the ground.</p><p>“..?” Yu tilts his head in confusion of her statement. “Isn't that normal?”</p><p>That response gets a laugh out of her, eliciting another smile from the human-like machine.</p><p>It still confuses him, but Yu goes along with her, offering a slight smile of his own. “Seeing you smile like that, I don't know... I can't just think of you as a machine. You have a heart right? Then it doesn't matter if you're man or machine.”</p><p>Aigis stops laughing, taking a moment to deeply ponder over his response. When she's finished, she looks right back at him with a serious expression.</p><p>“You have defeated me in single combat. That will make it difficult for me to continue forward...” She gives a small nod to him. “...but I believe I can trust you. Will you listen to my mission directive?” Aigis requests, her once piercing, sky-blue eyes had softened.</p><p>There was no reason to say no, and if anything, he could help piece together what's going on.</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>And with that, Aigis began to diligently explain her <em>directive</em>. She started from the beginning, retelling an older case involving Personas and Shadows that happened before events in Inaba. There, she explains her status as a <em>weapon with a heart</em>, tasked with the sole purpose of wielding a Persona in order to fight Shadows. It is to her best knowledge that the cause of their current situation is due to someone stealing a similar <em>weapon</em> and forced it into the world of the Midnight Channel.</p><p>“So...there's another robot with a heart, like you, and that they're the cause of this?” Yu asked for confirmation, resting against the side of a desk laid out on the ground. They had taken the initiative of finding a much more comfortable position than standing considering the injuries they both sustained.</p><p>Aigis answers him with a brisk nod. “Yes. We came to this world to retrieve her. My older sister, the 5<sup>th</sup> Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon, designation <em>Labrys</em>, is in this world somewhere.”</p><p>Yu takes the information in and thinks it over. “<em>Nanako, Goro, the victim, an out of control shadow, and Labrys. They're all here along with my friends. It's a lot to do, and it's going to be tough, but I can't ignore this. I have to do this!</em>” he determines before glancing back at Aigis. “Tell me more about Labrys, and I'll do what I can to help you get her back.”</p><p>“Unfortunately....” She fumbles, her expression clouding at the inquiry, her display of emotions once again proving that Aigis is certainly alive, like a human. However, judging by her lack of words, it means Aigis doesn't have much information on her either.</p><p>“<em>Which means that I'm going in blind on what she looks like, what equipment she might have, and any abilities she might have as well...</em>” Yu puts together with a silent sigh, pushing back his concerns for later to instead focus on the tasks at hand. “It's okay if you don't know. I just have to be on the lookout for another robotic girl.” he assures before moving to get up from off the floor. Once he's off, he does a light stretch to help the stiffness of his body pass along.</p><p>“Alright. In any case, I'll keep an eye out for her. But right now, I'm heading to the Announcement Room. If Labrys is the cause of this, then I'm bound to meet up with her eventually.” he explains, giving a slight shrug.</p><p>Aigis seems to understand, offering a small smile of gratitude. “Thank you... I will trust my sister's fate to you.” she hums as Yu takes his leave from the classroom.</p><p>He's moving along the hallways, following along the invisible walls once more until a loud scream fills the halls. Yu winces at the sound, his head pounding from its echos. It's too loud for him to stand, so he covered his ears in an attempt to block it out. As the cry seems to drown out, he removes his hands from his ears.</p><p>Suddenly, the sound of glass being broken all around him. Yu is shocked by the additional noise. He tries to reach out for the invisible wall that he had been following along, only to find that there's nothing there anymore. “<em>T-They're gone?!</em>”</p><p>“Senpai!”</p><p>A familiar voice calls out for him in the hallway, breaking him from his startled stupor. The silver-haired teen turns to face towards it. In the distance, he sees a familiar bluenette running towards him.</p><p>“Naoto! What are you doing here?!”</p><p>She doesn't stop running once she's close. Instead, the Detective Prince simply grabs his hand and begins to forcefully drag him along. “There's no time to explain! Akechi-kun's in danger!” she informs as they continue running through the hallway corridor.</p><p>“<em><b>WHAT</b></em>?!”Yu shrieked, his mind becoming made up at that point.</p><p>This Golden Week had become far too eventful for a vacation! He still had to rescue the original victim thrown in here, deal with the rogue shadow, find this Labrys, but Goro was in <em>danger</em>, which likely meant Nanako was as well!</p><p>Had none of this happened, Yu would have been able to rest and enjoy the quiet days with his friends and loved ones. He would have been introducing Goro to all his friends and catching up with them at the Junes Food Court. Later, he would have called Nanako over to play with them there, eat snacks together, then head back home together, giving his ward the grand tour of the town on the way back. Maybe he might have picked up something from the Shiroku Store, made it time to buy the last special croquettes at Souzai Daigaku, spoken to Daidara at the Metalworks, and even let Goro pick out some books at the Yomenaido Bookstore like he had promised. He would have been able to have a Beef Bowl back at Aiya's and later check on the fox back at the Tatsuhime Shrine to see if there were any quick emas he could help with! They would have all returned home and waited for his uncle to return to have dinner together, then the next morning, he would have gone out to fish and feed any strays nearby the riverbank.</p><p>But...none of that was possible now. His vacation was ruined thanks to some unknown culprit, and if that culprit turns out to be the same one who stole Labrys and brought Nanako into the Midnight Channel again<em>..</em>.</p><p>“<em>...I'll make them pay.</em>” Yu muttered darkly as he keeps pace with Naoto, the young detective looking at her upperclassman with concern.</p><p>“...Yu-senpai. We'll find them.” She tries to reassure before noticing someone up ahead, looking away in the distance. As they get closer, the silver-haired teen takes notice of their appearance.</p><p>It's a woman, dressed in a one-piece dress, gloves, boots and a hat, all in a familiar hue of blue. She looks like she may be from the Velvet Room, but she's certainly different from Margaret. She looks younger than the Velvet Room attendant he knows of, and seems completely oblivious to their sudden appearance.</p><p>Thinking of that space helps bring wave of a calm he needed. “<em>That's right. If </em><em><b>that</b></em><em> place is involved, then this goes beyond my vacation. Something else is at stake...</em>” he remembers, returning to a much more level-headed state of mind. “Excuse me.” he calls out to get the woman's attention.</p><p>It works, as the young woman turns around to see them. “Ah. Please excuse me. I didn't have the feintest idea there would be more of you here.” she comments, Yu raising an eyebrow at her phrasing.</p><p>“Feintest..?”</p><p>The woman narrowed her eyes in thought, trying to come up with the right word. “Feigned? ...Fiend? Something along those lines, at any rate.” she muses before observing him and Naoto.</p><p>Naoto scoots closer to whisper to him, taking notice of her similar appearance as well. “<em>Yu-senpai. Is she in anyway related to the woman who helped us get Marie back from the Hollow Forest?</em>”</p><p>Yu answers back with a silent nod before focusing on the woman in front of them. “...You're from the Velvet Room, right?” he asks, just to confirm.</p><p>She looks in awe at the question, but her response flusters him instead. “My...Is this what they call being <em>hit on</em>? A forbidden ritual where one human approaches another based solely on appearance, and bets on the inner self being equally attractive...”she hums, amused at the question.</p><p>“W-What?! No, I'm not hitting on you. You just remind me of someone I know.” He tries to clarify as Naoto chokes back a small laugh at his expense.</p><p>“To be fair Yu-senpai, that time, your statement did sound like you were hitting on her.” she adds, her hand covering the small smile on her face.</p><p>The silver-haired teen sighed, seeing that he'd have to be more specific with his questions to get a proper answer from the eccentric Velvet Room attendant. “Do you happen to know anyone by the name of Margaret?”</p><p>Her eyes widened at the name. “...Margaret.” she repeats, the surprise on her face making her appear youthful. She looks deep in thought, and Yu almost doesn't want to stop her, well....<em>almost</em>.</p><p>“We should introduce ourselves first. I'm Narukami Yu, and this is my friend, Shirogane Naoto.” He starts off, gesturing to himself first, then over to the Detective Prince.</p><p>On cue, Naoto offers a slight tilt of her cap towards the woman to be polite. “Pleasure.” she greets.</p><p>“Oh! That had slipped my mind also. My name is Elizabeth.” The Velvet Room attendant returns before trailing off and pouting a bit. “Dear me...to hear that name, fraught with memories, in such a mundane, remote place...” she adds, that last statement trailing off.</p><p>Yu finds that last bit slightly offends him nonetheless.</p><p>Elizabeth moves to give the two an elegant bow, smiling at them with fondness when she's standing straight once more. “Margaret is indeed my sister's name. Can I take that to mean you're another guest of that room, Narukami?” she questions, her attention focused upon him.</p><p>He doesn't falter from her observant gaze. “Elizabeth-san, huh... Well if that's the case, it's true. There was a time, not long ago, where I visited that room.” he asserts before realizing he's rather grateful he had Margaret and Marie attending his Velvet Room instead of this girl. “<em>She's....a bit of a handful.</em>” he thinks before realizing one crucial fact.</p><p>“Wait. Why is a resident of the Velvet Room here? Did Margaret send you with a message or something?” he points out, attempting to deduce her reasons for venturing out without a guide.</p><p>Elizabeth seems to be quite energetic to answer him. “I am currently, utterly neglecting my duties.”</p><p>Well, that wasn't even close to any of his guesses to why she was out here. “I..Is that so...” he stutters out, sweatdropping at the manner of her response. She doesn't seem like she'll be willing to follow the directions of his questioning, so he finds himself hesitating to speak again.</p><p>It looks as if she notices his hesitation as well, and decides to talk about herself, her eyes lighting up in a sincere passion. “I have... a certain desire. It may take a long time before it is ever realized. In order for my wish to be granted, I require a power that is much greater than what I have.” Elizabeth started as she glanced down at the tome in her hand, likely a Persona compendium, like Margaret's own. “The power of the wildcard....one in which it changes bonds into strength. I have a feeling that the key lies there.” she reveals before looking back up at him. “I feel that the first glue to granting that wish lies within that power.”</p><p>Yu notices another small phrasing error in her statement again, squinting his eyes in confusion. “Glue?”</p><p>The Velvet Room resident brings a hand to her chin to think it over. “....Flu? Influenza? Well, something along those lines.” she shrugs, giving up in the meanwhile.</p><p>Despite her phrasing troubles, Yu can see how genuine she is in her speech. However, he's not exactly sure how she figured out he has that power or how she came to know of the power beforehand. He struggles to understand the direction she's taking this direction, so Elizabeth takes the lead to speak up once more.</p><p>“Quite frankly, if I hadn't seen the potential slumbering within that little one earlier, I would have loved to ask for a fight from you! However, given the circumstances, I am quite content with just marveling at you and sensing the true strength within the depths of your soul.” She states with absolution, moving closer to him just to point at his heart. “The hearts of many are intertwined with you, standing by to support you when your heart falters from your purpose, and give you strength when you wish to rise above a difficult undertaking. Even now, you still look back to them to remember what you're fighting for...” she hummed before stepping back, opening the compendium in her hand to show something, a card rising from it to show <b>his</b> arcana.</p><p>“You truly encompass the meaning of <em><b>The World</b></em>.” she compliments with a smile, letting the tarot card spin around softly for a few moments. Elizabeth then recalls it back into the tome to look back at him. “I believe this and my last encounter have borne much flute.”</p><p>Despite her kind words, Yu wants to ask who this last encounter she keeps referring to. However, she gets her wording wrong again and it throws him off again. “Flute..?”</p><p>She appears perplexed, trying to think of the right word. “Flue? ...Chimneys.”</p><p>Both Yu and Naoto sigh. It looks like Elizabeth gave up again.</p><p>“In any case, I am pleased to have met your acquaintances.” she states, offering the two an elegant bow, preparing to leave until Naoto calls out to her.</p><p>“Elizabeth-san, would you happen to know where the Announcement Room is?” she mentions, leading the Velvet Room resident to ponder over the question.</p><p>She looks up at the ceiling, but her gaze seems to go beyond the walls of the false Yasogami High itself. “Ah.. I see why you might be asking such a thing. The integrity of this dungeon is coming apart.” she muttered quietly before making up her mind.</p><p>Elizabeth points down the west corridor. “You'll find the place you seek over there.” she informs before giving them a slight bow. “I do believe I must get going. But...a question for you, holder of <em>The World</em>, before we part ways.”</p><p>The two are grateful for the information as he gestures for Naoto to get a head start over there so he can and the Velvet Room resident may speak privately. His detective friend reluctantly leaves to follow the command, Yu and Elizabeth left alone.</p><p>“Yes..?”</p><p>Her eyes lower to the ground, the question being difficult to ask. “To continue fighting in order to prevent an undesirable future... It is a path of an endless hardship.” she starts, then looking back up at Yu, her eyes filled with meaningful determination. “Would you still choose to walk it?”</p><p>Yu can't remember much of the dream he had back when he first arrived in Inaba yesterday morning, but he recalls Margaret asking a similar question. Then, the teen thinks back to the ordeal he had once faced with last year's case, and how he has <em>opened the door</em>. Suddenly, the answer is clear in his mind.</p><p>“Yeah. Working for a better tomorrow isn't just a one-time thing. The tomorrows keep coming.” He answers passionately. “<em>Opening the door is necessary, but it isn't the important thing. Making sure to follow the path beyond that door is what's important... Only once you have that path in mind does it matter that the door is open or not.</em>” he considers his true feelings before speaking up once more. “I would keep fighting, for the future we want.”</p><p>His resolution brings about a warm smile on Elizabeth's face, suggesting that the Velvet Room resident is pleased. Perhaps, this was less of a question for him, but instead encouragement for her to keep moving forward in a path she's begun to forge on her own.</p><p>“Thank you, and I wish you luck as you travel down your own path.” She offers, taking a few steps back, then offering a graceful curtsy. “Well then, it's time for me to bid you adieu. By your leave, I, Elizabeth, am out of here!” she shouts with renewed optimism before briskly walking down the opposite hallway.</p><p>As the Velvet Room resident fades from view, he waves her goodbye. He learned from her, both about himself and about the task ahead of him, but now was the time to act. Yu takes her lead and begins to sprint down the hall he had sent Naoto down earlier, praying he makes it in time for whatever is about to unfold.</p><p>-</p><p>“She....she did it.”</p><p>Goro finally felt the invisible wall begin to crack and eventually fade away as Labrys had managed to knock down the woman. Once it's gone, he lands against the table. “oof..!”</p><p>He doesn't sit still for long, glancing around the room just to take in the amount of destruction they let loose onto the student council room. The preteen sweatdrops in relief, knowing that this version of Yasogami High is a fake, because there was no way to salvage this room. Spotting the familiar metallic figure ahead, he makes his way over to Labrys, who looks shell-shocked despite her victory.</p><p>“You did it!” he cries, beaming up at her. All she offers in return is a pained smile.</p><p>“Yeah...I guess I did.” she replies weakly before staring back at her arms and legs, still plated with metal, frowning down at them.</p><p>Goro doesn't understand why she seems so upset, but from his prior observations before the fight, he can only guess it may be because it plays into what the strange woman said earlier. “<em>Think back to who you really are... That's what she had said to Labrys before their fight, right?</em>” he muses before looking up at the android girl. “<em>She must be stuck on that train of thought...</em>” he deduces, gently clasping her hand.</p><p>He moves to gently rest at her side, trying to console her despite his slight trembles from her appearance. “<em>The best I can do for now is to be here for her... because that's what </em><em><b>Yu</b></em><em> would do.</em>”</p><p>Their moment together is ruined when the blue dressed woman gets up from the floor. Once she's standing, she simply dusts off her dress and fixes her hair. She wasn't even breathing hard, as if nothing had just happened.</p><p>The woman looks back at them, with a smile. “Well done.” she commends before narrowing her eyes, her stare piercing through her target. “But I'm sure you realize now... You are not human.”</p><p>Labrys winces at that.</p><p>However, the mysterious woman isn't done yet, raising a hand to her chin, as if she was thinking about something. “There must have been an important promise that could only be kept by using that guise. <em>That</em> must have been your reason for living.” she considered before letting her hand fall back to her side. “Whether it's worth losing that or not....I ask that you give it serious thought.” she requests, starting to walk over to the pair once more.</p><p>Labrys seemed to be struggling to focus, repeating the woman's words as if they've struck a chord within her. “An important promise...? My reason for living..?” she mutters quietly to herself. Goro moves in front of her to try and guard Labrys with his smaller body, seeing as she was preoccupied.</p><p>“Stop it! Don't hurt her <b>anymore</b>.” He growls defiantly, surprising the woman by his actions. She doesn't seem to be intimidated, but rather in awe. The blue clad woman lets out a soft laugh, covering it with her free hand.</p><p>“Apologies for my behavior, but do not fret. Our duel concluded earlier. I will not lay a hand on her. However...” She starts before she gazes upon him, curiosity and interest swirling in her eyes. “I want to ask you something.”</p><p>The preteen seems startled by her request, but decides to accept it, considering it helps keep Labrys safe as she sorts through her thoughts. “Fine....what is it then?”</p><p>“To be direct, I'd like to know about the potential slumbering within you. I sensed it earlier when you spoke to me. Even now, your desire to protect let it flare out for just a moment. No doubt, you will come into its power soon...” She clarified, as if what she said had made any actual sense to Goro. He raises an eyebrow at her, trying to figure out what the woman's playing at.</p><p>“What of this potential then? Why can't I use it now?” he inquires, hoping to put together a decent explanation that wasn't cryptic.</p><p>The woman doesn't respond immediately. She instead raises her hand, one finger held out as if she's pointing at something. It looks like an “<em>Aha!</em>” moment if Goro could describe it.</p><p>“You have yet to find the right catalyst to awaken it. Your resolve is holding strong, even in the face of unfamiliar and perilous threats in this world, but you are still susceptible to your own doubts and fears.” she reveals before looking back at him directly, offering a small smile. “When it is time, you will know...”</p><p>The woman trails off from there, her eyes glistening in fascination over something. “Tell me, what matters most to you; living for yourself or living for others?” she challenges, patiently awaiting a response.</p><p>Goro has a hard time responding back to her quickly, thinking over what he'd like to say. In the past, he would have answered the former of the two without hesitation. He would have done anything that was necessary to survive, because the world went on, while he was left to pick up the scraps. Now...ever since he met Yu, his view on the world had begun to change. He was still cautious, but the walls around his heart have slowly begun to collapse, brick by brick, as he started to willingly letting people in, even if he's aware of how fragile it was left after his mother passed. After reflecting on the changes he's seen within himself, he finds somewhat of an answer.</p><p>“Both. They both matter equally as much. Living for myself isn't so much as being selfish and forsaking others for my own desire, but rather...to enjoy what I have and share it with the people I care for. The same goes for living for others, it doesn't mean I must sacrifice all that I am to please everyone around me, but instead walk a path that will work to benefit everyone, including myself.” He confirms before nodding curtly. “Yes... That is my final answer, Miss...”</p><p>“Elizabeth.” The woman states plainly before offering an elegant bow. “My name is Elizabeth. Forgive me for my late introduction...”</p><p>Goro looks a bit surprised hearing her add that. He meant to be polite and call her Miss, rather than refer to her as lady or something, but it seems she mistook him asking for her name. He could work with that.</p><p>“Miss Elizabeth...okay. Well, now that you've asked your question, I'd like to ask something of you as well.” he inquires as he looks back at Labrys, who finally seems to be coming to. “Do you know where the Announcement Room is?”</p><p>“Do you mean the epicenter of this event?” Elizabeth asks for confirmation, slightly perplexed at the idea of telling him. Her hesitation doesn't last long as she looks out the doorway and points down the hallway corridor. “Just follow that hall past the next three doors. You'll find your answer there.”</p><p>Goro made a mental note to lead Labrys down there once they were done conversing. “Very well then. Thank you Elizabeth-san.” he thanks as the woman gives him a genuine smile.</p><p>“I admire the strength you've begun to hold within your heart. Do continue to let it flow, as it holds infinite potential...” She muses openly, Goro noticing something odd about her statement.</p><p>“Flow...?” he points out before Elizabeth becomes aware of her mistake as well.</p><p>“Blow? ….Glow? <em>Hmm</em>.” she mutters quietly before snapping, signaling she's figured it out. “<em>Ah</em>! Grow! That is the word I was looking for.” she exclaims, causing the preteen to sweat drop.</p><p>“<em>Elizabeth-san seems rather aloof when she's not being cryptic or intimidating...</em>” Goro infers from their short interaction together before he notices Labrys beginning to stir.</p><p>“<em>mhm..?</em>”</p><p>He gasped, knowing that the student council president wouldn't exactly want to make small talk with the person who somehow changed her form and goaded her into a fight she didn't ask for. He looks over to Elizabeth, silently mouthing “<em>Go. Please!</em>” over to her, to signal that she should leave as soon as she could.</p><p>The strange woman seems to understand what he's getting at, softly chuckling at his distress over her being spotted. “I believe our time together has come to a close. I bid you both good luck in the trial ahead...” Elizabeth concludes, her hand moving to shut the thick book, which closes with a loud thud.</p><p>Another strange sensation passes through both of them before Goro notices that Elizabeth has seemingly disappeared into thin air. Maybe she had never been there at all. More importantly, Labrys is back to normal again...?</p><p>“Labrys!” He shouts before moving to check her over, confirming that the robotic limbs and metal attachments are gone as well. It's a shame really, he liked that strange axe...</p><p>“Akechi-kun...? wha-...What happened?” she asks quietly before it seems a pain strikes back at her head, her hand flying to press against the area on her forehead. “<em>Ngh</em>...!! S-Still hurts! It's like there's somethin' back there that I can't get out...” Labrys complains as Goro helps her get back on her feet slowly.</p><p>“Easy now... I'm not sure what even happened if I'm being honest. The important thing is that you're okay, and that I found out where the Announcement Room is.” He reveals with a small victorious grin on his face. Interrogating Elizabeth after answering his questions in exchange certainly seemed to pay off, as he not only had information but also cleared up their misunderstandings from earlier.</p><p>“Yeah...right. I'm me aga-....Wait, come again?” Labrys starts before doing a double take back at the proud preteen. Labrys's fiery red eyes flared up at the news, her spirits lifted once more. “Alright then, let's go there right now!” she declares with excitement.</p><p>“R-Right now!? I thought we were going to get Narukami first..?” Goro stutters out, confused by her change of heart. He had been set on getting Yu to come with them before they confronted the organizer of the P-1 Grand Prix, but he's willing to let Labrys explain her reasoning. “..Why?”</p><p>“Well, to be honest....I saw a memory, a big one. Blue skies, the ocean, my friend and that little white dog. I saw them all.... There was a lot more to it but...there's one thing that I'm stuck on.”</p><p>“Which is...?”</p><p>“A voice... It was my friend's voice. She said that “<em>we're </em><em><b>loved</b></em><em> after all</em>”... That's when I decided.”</p><p>Labrys trails off, her fists balling up as she recalls it. “I'm gonna hang onto that promise, my <em>reason for living</em>. So I just can't leave this be. I'm the dang student council president! It's my responsibility to make sure this thing shuts down properly and not involve anyone else more than they already have been. That's why, I gonna leave your friend outta this. This thing, is <b>between</b> me and the jerk in charge.” she declares, before looking down at him, a fond smile on her face. “And that's why I'm takin' you with me... This is personal for you too, so it's only fair you get to see me sock the person who caused all this.”</p><p>Goro let out a silent sigh before chuckling quietly. He can see how earnest Labrys seems about this, and he's not about to stop her when they're so close. If they get sidetracked any further, they may lose the momentum they just gained here. “Alright... I understand. Come with me.” he starts, holding out his hand, in which Labrys takes hold of eagerly, letting the preteen lead the way.</p><p>As they pass the first door, Goro feels his heart race. The end was so close, but anxiety was building within him. He breathes in and out slowly to try and calm down, but when that fails, he looks to Labrys.</p><p>They just passed the second door. He can see her determination is shining brilliantly as it was in the student council room. Just admiring it seems to allow some of her confidence to rub off on him, and it is just enough to soothe his nerves. It'll be enough, it has to be.</p><p>They're just about to pass the third door when Goro finds his voice again.</p><p>“Labrys...”</p><p>“Yeah Akechi-kun?”</p><p>“...thank you.”</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>They reach the final door, the sounds of televisions, cameras and other electronics at work buzz in the air. They made it.</p><p>Goro looks back up at Labrys as his hand reaches for the door handle.</p><p>“For letting me tag along I guess...” he fumbles his cheeks flushing a soft red.</p><p>Labrys laughs quietly seeing him. “You're welcome then.”</p><p>Suddenly he hears a soft whisper right against ear, speaking in a voice like his own.</p><p>(“<b>..liar...</b>”)</p><p>In response, he grips the door knob tightly then throws it open, choosing to ignore the voice instead of giving it the pleasure of a verbal response. Yes, it was right, but there's no time for that when they're right here at the end. He had wanted to say something about their once advantageous partnership turning into a mutual friendship of sorts, but couldn't find it within himself to just say it. After all, facts were simple and straightforward, while feelings were difficult and inconsistent, which why he opts out of talking about his own a majority of the time.</p><p>Once the door was flung open, he and Labrys rushed inside the room.</p><p>The room itself is huge, and definitely a far cry from any announcement room he's ever seen in a school. The whole room was filled to the brim with monitors, all showing various rooms and angles around the fake Yasogami High. Likely, whoever was running this thing was keeping tabs on everyone's positions and fights from here. There is one thing that unnerves Goro as he takes in the new surroundings. It seems to be a large window taking up a side of the wall, overlooking a strange television backlot set, shades of yellow filling the air around it.</p><p>“<em>If I wasn't sure before, I am sure now! This really is another world inside a TV. This place isn't normal...</em>” Goro realizes as Labrys steps up.</p><p>“Alright! You listen, and you listen to me <em>real closely</em>, you bozo. This show is <b>over</b>!” She roars with authority, pointing to the figure right at the controls of the monitors. The figure seems to turn around to face the intruders that called out to them. As Goro passes through the doorway, he spots a familiar shape.</p><p>“-!!”</p><p>That bear, Teddie wasn't it? He had been right. There <b>was</b> a copy of him, and indeed, the strangely dressed one was the culprit running this competition.</p><p>The preteen grimaces as he notices someone else behind the copy. They appear to be another high-school age girl and they were tied up and restrained. She was probably another victim of this militaristic bear's agenda, as they all were. Goro still had the feeling he'd seen her somewhere before...</p><p>When the pigtailed, high school girl behind the bear noticed their arrival, she looks bewildered. Maybe this wasn't the rescue she was expecting, but this is the best she'd get it seems.</p><p>“<em>Labrys, look.</em>” He whispers, gesturing with a simple movement of his eyes over to the bear's position, to let her notice the other victim. That made the student council president fume.</p><p>“<em>I knew I was right to come here and deal with this myself...</em> Looks like more students got involved than I thought.” She mutters under her breath before looking out to the restrained girl. “Hold on! We'll get ya' outta there. After all, it's my job as student council president to look after everyone, ain't it?” Labrys calls out, only baffling the other girl more.</p><p>“<em>Strange...she doesn't seem to recognize her own student council president?</em>” Goro notes before shrugging it off. “.<em>..it's probably nothing. I haven't interacted with the student council at my own school either, so it's fair to not to know their faces.</em>” he reassures himself, thinking back to his only background interaction with the group had been for a favor to Yoshizawa-san to ensure she'd get her tutoring that day.</p><p>(“<b>..pay attention..something's amiss...</b>”)</p><p>He stiffens. It was that voice again. Goro grabbed the side of his head and winces, a flash of pain pinging there.</p><p>His moment of weakness is enough to grab Labrys's attention back to him. “Hey...you holdin' up okay Akechi-kun? You don't look so good.” she commented quietly; as to not upset his headache more.</p><p>The preteen shakes his head. “J-Just a dizzy spell. I'm fine. You should take on this jerk. I'll go help that girl when he's distracted.” he offered as reassurance, but finding it difficult to brush it off.</p><p>He's finding it harder to focus, but it seems the culprit behind this finally decides to acknowledge them. As the copy opens its eyes, all Goro can see is the hidden rage lurking within them.</p><p>“Well, well well. If it isn't Miss Sourpuss and the stowaway! I thought by now, you'd both be dead, buuuuuut-! That'll teach me to get my hopes up!” The bear comments carelessly before bowing at them with all the showmanship it can muster in a single action.</p><p>“My name is General Teddie, and it's my <em>honor</em> to welcome you to the <b>P-1 Grand Prix</b>!”</p><p>Goro's eye twitches at the sight, and seeing Labrys tense up, he can tell she's just as upset.</p><p>“No! This ain't the Grand Prix anymore! I'm shutting this thing down, right now!” She growls, moving into a fighting stance. “Either we do this the easy way, or the hard way!” the president warns, baring her teeth at the General.</p><p>“What's wrong little Miss President? You don't like it? After all that work I put in?” General Teddie asks, pretending to be heartbroken by her words with a feigned sadden expression, only to grin maliciously moments later. “I thought you wanted to show them all how you really feel...”</p><p>“Wha-!! W-What the hell are you goin' on about?! I didn't ask for any for this!” She argues, the bear only beginning to laugh maniacally at her distress.</p><p>General Teddie's eyes change color, becoming bright golden as the madness within them burns intensely. “I want to make people fight... I especially want to make friends fight against each other. Then maybe they'll understand how I feel... That was your wish, wasn't it?” The bear states darkly taking a step towards them, his voice, distorted.</p><p>Labrys takes a step back in fear. “N...No... I-I didn't...T-That ain't it...I..”</p><p>“Aww...Still playing pretend? Gonna keep denying it all?” The bear tilted its head slightly away from Labrys to look towards him, sending chills up his spine. “You're trying so hard to be someone you're not.” it mocks before eyeing Labrys once more, its hand moving to grab its cane. “Fine. I don't need <b>you</b> anymore then, if all you're going to do is reject me.”</p><p>The bear starts to rush at them, and Labrys isn't moving.</p><p>(“<b>...this is cruel and unjust...pro..tect....er...</b>”)</p><p>The voice calls out to him again, and this time, Goro decides to take its advice for once, the pain in his head subsiding as he moves into action.</p><p>“Shut<b> up</b>!” He yells as he grabs onto Labrys's hand sharply to pull her from danger, narrowly missing the strike by the General's cane.</p><p>The two crash onto ground, groaning in slight pain, but Goro refuses to back down. “You keep saying this is all because of Miss President's wish, but you're just trying to fuck with her. To try and get in her head to distort what she knows! Her wish is nothing like that...it was one of love, not hate!” he cries out as he crawls out from under Labrys, ready to continue his stand.</p><p>Goro was just trying to get back up at that point, kneeling on the ground to push his body up until he felt a heavy hand grab his shirt, and violently yank him up. The pigtailed girl from afar screams. Labrys is starting to sit up and tries to reach for him, but it's too late as he's pulled away from her. As he's struggling to escape the mad bear's grasp, he's now face to face with the General, straight across from it's crazed, golden eyes.</p><p>It smiles menacingly at him. “Trying to be the hero? Well then.... How about I show what <b>exactly</b> you're trying to protect.”</p><p>With a single snap, the sound of TV static fills the air. The General forcefully turns his head to look back at Labrys, where it all seems to be focused around on her and her body...</p><p>As it begins to clear, he can see that her form had changed once more. Robotic limbs stretch from the uniform. The metallic attachment that resembled wings was connected right at her back. It was so shiny that he could see his reflection on the back of her fingers, even if he was being held up by the General.</p><p>“How's <b>this</b> for reality?” The bear mocks, starting to laugh as Goro grits his teeth, watching as Labrys crumples onto the ground once more, muttering to herself. “<em>N..No...this...this can't be happening....not again....</em>” is all he can hear from Labrys's sobs before his body moves unconsciously.</p><p>Goro Akechi musters his strength and launches his leg forward, kicking the General square in the face.</p><p>It stops laughing.</p><p>Goro can see the fury boiling in General Teddie's narrowing eyes for just a moment, as the bear clenches its jaw and throws him.</p><p>He can feel his body become limp on impact as he crashes against some monitors. His powerless form falls flat in front of the pigtailed girl, who is silent yet horrified at what she just witnessed. The girl tries to pull him close, but the act sends pain pulsing through every corner of his frail body. As he's lying there, being pulled up onto the girl's lap while he's still as ragdoll, his breathing low and weak, all he tries to do is look over at Labrys. Her eyes are wide open, the visible dread on her face as she tries to process what just happened.</p><p>Goro can feel his eyes getting heavy.</p><p>As his vision begins to blur and the sounds around him begin to dull, all he can focus on is Labrys piercing scream, and the echoing sound of glass cracking afterwards, as if the world is responding to her tears.</p><p>He's can't... It's impossible to stay conscious anymore at the point. As he's slipping away from reality, he passes out with one final thought in mind.</p><p>“<em>...i'm sorry for making you cry, labrys...</em>"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>-&gt; If you enjoy this series and want to read more into it, please subscribe to the <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877584">SERIES ITSELF</a> because subbing to one of the fics of the series won't notify you if another comes out. &lt;- </p><p>-</p><p>I'm finally back to working on this fic and I sure delivered! Around over 14.2 k words for a single chapter, I think that's a new record for chapter length so far in any of my fics. <s>I plan to completely shatter that goal soon with an absolutely self-indulgent one shot~!</s> I was so excited to finally finish this chapter up. Next chapter, you know exactly what's going to go down...hehe~
</p><p>Alright, a bit of explanations here! In this AU, I'm playing off second and third tier personas off my original P4:G run! So here, Yu got his friends to their final social link levels, thus obtaining their second tier personas, no question about that. However, he did not get ALL of them to their third tier! Here, he only managed to get Yosuke, Naoto and Teddie's up. Why? <s>Because I was an idiot and rushed into Adachi's dungeon week 1; so the time skip fucked up my run really bad</s>. 
Also, Labrys's dungeon has limits on personas, hence why Yu's wildcard ability is suppressed here. That distortion also affects their personas, knocking them all down to their first stage personas. Izanagi-no-Okami will be a <b>special</b> exception as you'll see how Yu manages to re-evolve him next chapter~!

</p><p>I'll be working right back on Early Reawakening's next chapter and my secret one shot now that this chapter is out, so updates for this fic will come later! Alright, I'm gonna head out for now, but please let me know what you guys think of this chapter with reviews and kudos!</p><p>~Til next chapter everyone, Phoe out~</p>
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